LINCOLN COLLEGE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22506, 14 September 1938, Page 15

LINCOLN COLLEGE

BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEET The monthly meeting yesterday of the Board of Governors of Canterbury Agricultural College was presided over by Mr W. O. Rennie (chairman), and Messrs N. M. Orbell, J. R. D. Johns, W. A. Banks, G, F. Wright, Drs. H. G. Denham and F. W. Hilgendorf and Professor E. R. Hudson (the director) were present. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs H. S. S. Kyle and H. E. Herring, M.P.s, and Mr M. E. Lyons. Director’s Report

The director reported for the month of August as follows: — The rainfall for August was only 73 points. The sunshine amounted to hours. The month was a particularly favourable one, and the weather showed a considerable improvement upon that of the two preceding months. In spite of this the season is backward, the soil is in a very unkind condition, and feed is growing only slowly. Autumn-sown grain crops are somewhat thin, but are looking well in spite of the soil having been packed down by the heavy winter rams. Pastures are freshening, but are not yet producing a great deal of feed. College Farm—ln preparation for spring crops, ploughing and some top working has been done on more than 100 acres. Other activities dealt with have included stock feeding, tree planting, road-making, fencing, and general seasonal work. A number of unemployed men have been engaged under No. 13 scheme. Ashley Dene Farm—Seasonal work is backward owing to the wet state of the ground. Even after a month of dry weather many areas are stm too wet to plough, as artesian water is oozing from the surface. On both farm 3 stock are In fair condition, out are showing the effects of the severe winter experienced. The lambing percentages are unlikely to be high, and a number of lambs were lost in the storm on the 2nd and 3rd of the picsent month. Teachers’ Course—A special refresher course for teachers of agriculture was held during the week commencing on August 29.* It proved very successful and was attended by 22 teachers and training college lecturers. Research Bureau— Meetings of the Plant Research Bureau and of the Animal Research Advisory Committee were held in Wellington, and were attended by the director. . It was mentioned in the discussion on the report that students at the teachers’ refresher course had se*t in a testimonial expressing high appreciation of the course and its educational value. The report was adopted. All the other business on the agenda paper, dealing mainly with finance and appointments, was held in committee. The New Building Programme In view of the grant from the Government for the erection of farm buildings to replace some which have reached' a state of extreme disrepair and uselessness, and for extensions, members in the afternoon inspected the farm steading with a view to arranging a iplan. . Many -the buildings have been erected from time to time as funds have permitted, and the areas on which some of them are situated have become congested and conduce to inconvenient working. The stables have reached the stage of just about falling down, and these will be replaced by a new building in closer position to the implement-shed. The cowshed will be removed completely away from the other buildings. After the inspection it was decided that the matter be referred to the farm committee—the chairman, director, and Messrs Johns and Wright—to report to the next meeting of the board.