LAGGING BEHIND.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1804, 17 July 1913, Page 5

LAGGING BEHIND.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. " ! THE PREMIER'S PROPOSALS. LEGISLATION FORESHADOWED The first annual luncheon of delegates of the N.Z. Farmers' Union was held in the Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Tho Dominion president, Mr. J. G. Wilson, occupied the chair, and the guests included the Hon. W. F. Massey (Prime Minister) and tho Hon. J. Allen (Minister for Defence). ■ ■ Proposing the toast of the "Army and Navy," Major Lusk referred in eulogistic terms to the compulsory military trainins now being carried on. The farmers, lie said, fully realised the benefits accruing from such a system',- and ho was pleased to state that he- had not heard of any conscientious objectors amongst the farming community. . Responding to the toast; the Hon. J. Allen said ho was elad to have the intimation irom Major.Lusk that (lie farmers ivere favourable to tlrc proposal of compulsory military training It was tlie finest thing that had been introduced into New Zealand fot tlitf last 50 years, and he was sorry to see that there was a spirit of resistance in some'of the youth of the country. There were difficulties which had to be met fCiuarely and equitably. The country had decided upon the policy, and the law would be exercised equitably, and he believed the time would come when everyone would realise it was for the best. It was really a question of Empire defence. When this came home to the young men, they would hare.an added pride in wearing the King's uniform, arid in realising thn possibility that t.hor might be called ypon to defend not only their own country, but the shores of somo other part of the Empire. Should such an occasion arise, ho believed the.response would be the same as at the time of the South African War.; (Applause.) They had not yet lost the pride in their response on that occasion. Sharing the Burden. ' With regard to the, Navy, the time had come when they could not fail to realise that they had tho responsibility of takins a share of the burden. When the' time came to take a forward step ; as ho believed the time would come in the near future, he had no doubt that they would meet it. Whatever was "done would be for the Imperial good. New Zealand had a glorious mission, and they should see that whatever was done locally would'be for the good of the whole. (Applause) Responding to the .toast of "Parliament," which was proposed by Mr. J. M'Queen, Mr. Massey said it gave him great pleasure to meet so many representatives of tho agricultural community of th 9 Dominion. Speaking of Parliament, he ,woiiild not say that the present Parliament was the bsst they had had, but ho would say it was the best lie had had experience of, and "was the best Parliament the farmers had had. He said this in view of the legislation passed last session, and the legislation which was going' to be passed this session. Parliament last session placed a very. substantial instal-\ ment of freehold' policy, on tho Statute Bcok of the country.- He hoped it would be followed by another equally substantial policy this session. During the many years he had been in Parliament ho hull ahvavs contended for a policy of tin? man on the land having the right of making his land his own, as far. as the freehold could do it. ,

The amendment of the Valuation .Act with regard to exemption on improvements ivas a good step. He would not say the Act was perfect jet. He was strongly of opinion that a man's industry should not be taxed. The: present session might see something done further in that direction. - w.Wqrlfors'; . With re to' the'.'opportunity should te'given him of making his hdmo his own. A commencement had been made in that direction. During the past -few -weeks, as Minister for Agriculture, lib had had the opportunity of purchasing land in Canterbury for workers'' homes. Th» laud was worth approximately ,£SO an acre, and he proposed to subdivide it into five-acre lots, and erect cottages, to, the number of twelve.or fourteen. Up to the present .ten. particularly industrious n»u hail como along and deposited ,£2O as an indication of their earnestness to get h.vjies. These homes, with the five acres, wor\ld be worth ,£550, and the Government were going to give those taking up the sections 25J years to pay for them, in halfyearly payments. He believed it was quite possible, by intense cultivation, to ir.akD a living on five acres. Ho thought it possible that lie would have to ask for an amendment of the Act this session, as it was not sufficiently elastic. They had made a commencement, and believed it would turn out satisfactory. Agricultural College. Rc-ferring to agricultural education, Mr. Massey said there wa9 a proposal to establish an agricultural college in New Zealand. He wanted to give great credit to Mr. E. Newman, M.P., who at his own expense had gone to New South Wales to report on the Hawkesbury Agricultural College. The report had been placed in his (Mr. Massey's) hands, and he was go-' ing to ask Parliament to accept it as a Parliamentary Paper.. He thought every farmer should have a copy of the report. It was a revelation of the work being done in New South Wales. They anticipated dcn'ng something in New Zealand, !>nd he .had indicated to the Minister for Finance that he (Mr. Massey) might como along and ask for an instalment of *£25,000 for an. agricultural college. ne intended setting up a .Board of' Agriculture.' A report on the matter was being prepared, and he hoped before tho present session was over the Board of Agriculture would become an accomplished fact. » 'They would have done something then towards one of the agricultural accomplishments ho had in view. Ho believed, in the way of scientific agricultural education, that New Zealand was half a century behind other countries, especially New South Wales and Canada. That could not he allowed to continue. Ho hoped before his terni of office came to an end that tho Dominion Agricultural College would bocome a fact. (Applause.) . . The toast of "Agriculture' was proposed by Mr. G. W- Lcodley, and responded to by Mr. P. S. Popo (Secretary for Agriculture).' Advance of Commflrc#. "Commerce" was proposed by Mr- Talbot, and responded to by Mr. A. h■ Mabin (president, Chamber of Commerce) and Mr- A. Leigh Hunt- ... „ "You ask how commerce is doing, .concluded Mr. Mabin, "arid £> answer, commerce is doing very well. There is a slight stringency about the chest, a. money stringency, but otherwise it is making great progress.''- Mr. Mabin quoted figures showing that the exports of the Dominion for tho nine months. October to June this year, amounted to 20i millions, and if the July, August, and September figures equalled those of last year, ■£.1,009,000 would bring the total up to millions for the twelve months, which would be an increase of <£3,000,000 over last year, and ,£1,750,000 better than, any previous year in the history of the Dominion. (Applause.) Mr. E. Newman. M-P-,. proposed the toast of the "Farmers' Union," and paid a tribute to the good work done by the union in guarding the interests of tho fanners. ; ~ , i L Mr. Wilson, responding, said ho thought the Fa man's' Union took a wide view ot matters, and did not wisli to act in a selfisfi manner for tlie good only or the pockets of tho farmers. (AxuilauseO