 Upon his return to New Zealand, Josland commented that "[t]here seemed to be no dearth of money in Australia for research work [and] an amazing amount of money was made available from sources outside the Government, particularly the pastoral trusts and the banks".Investigations carried out by workers both in Australia and New Zealand over a three year period leading up to 1938 had demonstrated the profound importance to the health of livestock of a minute quantity of cobalt in the diet.Coast disease and enzootic marasmus in Australia, and bush sickness, Morton Mains disease and Mairoa disease in New Zealand, were associated with cobalt deficiency in pastures and were curable, partially and entirely, when cobalt was supplied.