THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1547, 2 May 1887, Page 3

THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT

Mr G. E. i'd-Tton, who is contrbuti.'ig a series of ar >cleß on eubtropical New Zealand to the " Ots^o Wkneßß," is very severe on the Agricultural department m his contribution this week. '"The department of Agriculture as bt "present constituted," h" arjs, " I look upon.r s a sham and a wr. te of money. Last yar, I believe, a voio of £i 7,000 was pr.a&ad for thfa new d pai nipnt, and it apptars to me that if tne coloi.y i-i its present crippled financial posi:Lu can afford th'« lH'-ge expenditure, we rea'ly ought jto ; j^et some practical good bb a quid pro quo, We cannot, however, expect to reap j.ny benefit unless tha Government go to the proper source, and get men to teaoh. us these new induslriet wh!oh promise f-uch large measures of pr fit. It the Government desire to teach tb-i people ot ibis olony the besi mot* a ( f f*i jning, how to t work the lan-1 nt ihe minimum of cost, how to make fruit cuUul'o 1 great piying i'idußtry, how lO grew and cure tobac 0, how to raibe 1; ap b end meke our own wine, how to c.n meat and vegetable*, eic, practically ti»itie-i men should bo obtained from / morlca. Two or three tuch men j laced at the head o( our depprtnfent of A: ricalture would be the means of educating the New Zealand .former m a wpy that would enable him to mccensfully compel* wi'h a'i the products of Amorica, f/om i^ie pinned meat of Chicago to the wi.,n of I he!< a»tern States."