FARMERS' COLLEGE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1528, 26 August 1912, Page 5

FARMERS' COLLEGE.

RIVAL NORTH ISLAND SITES. CLAIMS OF WAIRARAPA. Another district—Wairarapa-advancod its claims as a silo for an. Agricultural College, by way of a deputation to the Pi'imo Minister on Saturday. Tho deputation represented local bodies of all classes in , tho Wairarapa district. It was introduced by the member for tho district, Mr. W. C. Buchanan, and was supported by Mr. Q. K. Sykcs, M.P. Mr. Buohanan said tho resources and capabilities of tho Wairarapa district were well known. Last year the district exported something like 800,000 fat sheep and lambs, and somo 35,000 bales of wool. He did not know of any district in New Zealand more deserving of tho Attention of the Agricultural Department than the Wairarapa district. Uo had lived there for forty years, and lie could sav that the resources of thnt district were- "second to none in New Zealand. It had been admitted for a long time—and it was regrettable that it bad to be admitted— that science had been more divorced from the agricultural and pastoral pursuits than from any other department of human industry, and when the dependence of New Zealand upon what was really its basic industry was realised, it was not much to tho country's credit that tho people had been so backward in the application of science to .this important branch of our work. Other members of the deputation enlarged upon tho necessity for more "intense scientific agriculture to get better results from the lnnd, the claims of Wairarapa as a centre in which thero was land suitable for mixed farming, tho diversity of the classes of soils, and the possibility of tho college, if established in Wairarapa, being liberally endowed with scholarships and other aids by local bodies and private individuals. The Minister, in reply, said he was verv glad to meet so many representative agriculturists from the Wairarapa, and ho was glad to note that tho proposal to erect at least one Agricultural College in tho North Island met with general approval from farmers, not only in Wairarapa, but all over New Zealand. Very little had been done to apply science to agriculture in New Zealand, and this defect tho Government proposed to remedy lie would havo to.get the consent of Pn'rl liament to erect a college, but he had no doubt consent would bo roadilv forthcoming. Later tho responsibility'of Heeling a site would fall mainly on him as Minister for Agriculture, mul he promised that the claims of Wairarapa would receive duo consideration Mr. W. C. Buchanan asked whether tho Government would take into consideration an offer of monetary assistance to the extent of, say, .£20,000 in tho event of the colleiro being established in the Wairarapa. Would such an offer influence the Government in favour of (ho selection of Wairarapa as a site? Mr. Massey said that any offer of the kind would bo considered-lio did not know whether he ought io sav "favourably considered." lie added,' however, that he had been asked whether nn offer of .C 20.000 would induce the Government, to select another site in another part of the North Island.