List of cultures of micro-organisms held in New Zealand and methods for their preservation : collections : Forest Research Institute, National Health Institute, New Zealand Dairy Research Institute, University of Otago, University of Waikato, Wallaceville Animal Research Centre

Abstract

In August 1947 a specialist conference on Culture Collections of Micro-organisms was held in London. This meeting recommended the formation of a Commonwealth Organisation to be known as "The British Commonwealth Collections of Micro-organisms". The organisation was charged with: 1. Establishing a Permanent Committee 2. Preparing a Directory of Collections 3. Establishing National Committees 4. Preparation of Catalogues by each Collection 5. Distribution of Cultures (freely and without charge) As a result of the formation of the Commonwealth Committee a New Zealand Committee was set up under the aegis of the New Zealand Department of Science and industrial Research. This Committee set about obtaining from culture collections in New Zealand lists of their holdings.

At first it was proposed to publish one directory for the whole Commonwealth, however, this proved impractical and so lists were issued country by country as the material became available. A list prepared by the New Zealand was finally dispatched to London in 1965 and was published in 1968 as the "Commonwealth Collection of Micro-organisms Directory of Collections and List of Species Maintained in New Zealand, HMSO London".