AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18406, 12 June 1925, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH.

In the course; of his presidential address at the annual conference of the North Canterbury branch, of the New Zealand Farmers' Union'yesterday, Mr. J. D. Hall bad some interesting comments to make on the subject of agricultural education and research.

"It is a matter of regret," he said, ".that no material progress has been made along these lines during the past year, and it is to be hoped that something will result from the enquiries made by. the Government Commission which has recently, sent in its report. The position regarding agricultural research work is one which might be the matter of further consideration by the Dominion Conference, as in the discussions which have taken place the various proposals regarding the establishment of one big college or one college for each Island appear to have overshadowed the urgent necessity that undoubtedly exists for the prosecution of research work.

"It can only be by diligent enquiry as to existing methods of farming and by a process of enquiry by experimental work in connexion with , cultivation, seeds, fertilisers, stock, crops, and pastures that the knowledge can be acquired which it is desirable to teach to the farmers either in a college or on their farms. Departmental Expenditure. "The sum of £25,000 appears in this year's estimates of the Department of Agriculture for the work of the Fields Division, in addition to a subsidy of £SOO for the Lincoln College plant breeding and development work. Out of a total expenditure by the Department of £ 263,000, this seems a pitifully inadequate sum, and the members of the staff availablo in Canterbury and the area over which they have to work support the view that the Department is not giving this matter of research work the consideration it deserves. "It is not the time to increase Government expenditure in any 'direction, but there is no reason why the present expcnditurcjphould not be adjusted more equitably in' accordance with the necessities of the case,, and possibly reduced." Science of Farming.' The .speaker' then-' went »on to state that in a country which derived 95 per cent, of its wealth from agricultural and pastoral produce, it was obviously desirable to introduce agricultural elements for all the primary producers in any scheme ■ of higher public instruction, and this could hot be done until farmers and their sons had opportunities of learning the possible variations and developments in the science of agriculture which, could be adapted to. the climate and soil'bf Canterbury. It" was difficult to see- in what other way progress could be ensured for farming methods, "and' without ! development- in this direction it was impossible for our

farmers to compete on equal terms with other countries which were supplying the world's markets with farm products. It was also desirable'that farmers should have opportunities of acquiring the knowledge that was necessary to enable them to take part and render efficient service in-tho Government of the country on local bodies and even in Parliament.'

Later on during the conference Mr Hall moved:—"That the funds provided by the Government for iisearch are inadequate and that the' number or agricultural instructors should be increased, it being'impossible that tho staff as at present constituted can cany out the essential work of supervising experiments and disseminating tho information gained from /such work in tho districts which they have to cover."

The motion was seconded by Mr W. W. Mulhollahd. who' said that tliemoney expended in increasing the staff would bo returned a thousandfold.^ The remit was carried.