For cement: (continued)

The growing tendency to interlink separate systems at the control and operational level, with increasingly complex computer programs, foreshadows the dream of very large -even national -systems carefully optimised for major distribution cost savings for the economic benefit of all. Future materials handling projects, rather than initiating their own distribution systems, may well in the future stand or fall on their capacity to link with established national networks.

Paralleling the bulk movement of material is an equally exciting story for discrete article handling of metal ingot, postal items, spare parts, materials in bottles, cans, and a myriad of other packages with its own history of innovation and sorting, stacking, blending, and handling, from manufacture to consumption.

Liquids and gases in matching manner are being moved about the country in bulk in rapidly increasing quantities. Early Australian experience in piping water to Kalgoorlie, and early irrigation in the lower Murray Valley, were breakthrough examples of technical initiative. The later oil and gas system, connecting extremely remote fields to population centres, already matches world standards, and talk of 'national grids' linking the whole continent is moving rapidly towards the positive planning level.

Slurry pipelines and multi-product lines exist, and proposals are under discussion for encapsulated bulk material to be handled inside liquid pipelines.

The spectrum of materials used by man, and the variety of states in which they are handled, is vast. The Australian citizen's quality of life -as far as material welfare can help -is dependent to a significant degree on the ability of the body of engineering professionals and technicians designing, constructing, and managing the means of movement of materials.

Many of the leading groups of Australian professional consultants have grown with the knowledge and experience gained in the major post-war development in the materials handling field. The members of their professional society, The Association of Consulting Engineers Australia (ACEA), now include many groups equal in performance record to any in the world.

Fortunately the need for this competent body of people is met by an excellent and widespread infrastructure of education and training facilities, provided by the Universities and Colleges within Australia. From this base of training, and with our on-site achievements, it is clear that in the field of the handling of materials we have moved historically from the primitive to at least equality on the international scene, and have the skills and ability to stay there and help the less fortunate to join us.`

May we have the wisdom to do so.

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering