SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 8, 21 September 1945, Page 4

SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE

Sir, —I notice in Tuesday's Beacon that during a discussion at the Whakatane School Committee oil the establishment of an Agricultural School in the South Auckland pro-* vince to train boys as future, farm-t ers ) the Whakatane Headmaster was reported as saying that the Feilding Agricultural School only had 111 boys attending and if the North Island could only find 111 boys another school of that kind was not nccessary. I must say that was a careless statement coming from a responsible person who should know better. In October 1944 I wrote the principal of the Feilding School to get a boy of mine in there 5 and I was informed that there was no vacancy before and 1 understand too Flock House, is filled to capacity. So the would indicate that another Farm School is an urgent necessity. Boys , the headmaster pointed out did not want to be trained as farm labourers. I did not know that it was anything to be ashamed of. On the contrary I feel proud to earn my living off a farm as we are an> important part of the com-' munity in fact the backbone. He s the says the farm labourer has no prospects of obtaining a farm if his father is not in a position to put him on one. Issayy y what rot! A big percentage of farmers in New Zealand and success-, fill fanners at that ? started as farm labourers at £1 per week or ahd that without the help of any Government assistance w'hich is available today. I am glad to see that the Chairman decided to have the possibilities of the school investigated, and hope that the committees efforts meet with the success they deserve. Yours etc. } J. P. CAULFIELD.