AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1817, 1 August 1913, Page 8

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

NORTH ISLANDERS' DEMAND.

A. & P. CONFERENCE OPINIONS.

The interesting tonic of the establishment of on Agricultural Coilego was before the conference of Agricultural and Pastoral Societies yesterday.

The. subject was introduced bv the following remit from the llasterton Society :—

"That this conference is of opinion that ono fully-equipped Agricultural College would be better for iS'ew Zealand Hum two or three smaller ones. That the Government should be urged to give effect to the 'recommendation (if the Education Commission." 'Mr. Duncan ll'Gregor, jun., who moved the remit,' said that while lie would, in a sense, like to see the Agricultural College established in tho Wairarapa, ho did nut think the matter of locality was of Ihv.t importance.

Another iUasterton delegate, Mr. Hugh .Morrison, seconded the motion. He recalled tho Primo Minister's observation that city and town boys should be attracted to the country, and said that it would bo well to hare the Agricultural College near a city like Wellington, for then ; city boys might l>» educated - as agriculturists, and through that might go on the land.

"I think the Government might give Lincoln College a subsidy of JiIOOO or so with great advantage to tho South Island, if the money was earmarked for certain experiments and tho increasing of the staff, so as to enable members of tho staff to travel in the country and give lectures to fanners," said Mr. John Stiidhelnie (Ashburton). Ho thought that one other college with the Lincoln College would bo sufficient. The question' of locality was not of much importance; tho real question was. as to where the requisite conditions could be best obtained to make the college a success. It was also a question whether the Lincoln College svstem should be followed or whether there should be an adoption of the American system of short terms of theoretical training and long vacations which could b? employed in practical work. Jlr. J. D. Hall (Canterbury) said that the best idea in planning the agricultural education of a boy was to take him at fifteen and put him' on a farm for a couple of years, mid then send hiinw to an Agricultural College.

An Expert's Views. Mr. E. Clifton (Slate Director of l'ields and Experiments) outlined the various clas.-es of agricultural educational _ institutions which might be needed. First of all, they wanted a higher college wherein future teachers could he educated. That college would he associated with the University of New Zealand, which would confer degrees. Then there was Lincoln College, wihore the conr.-.e was of tome three years' duration. There the fee* were not high, ' and yet they were considerable. There were farmers who could not afford to pay high lees, "and, al.-o, could not spare their boys. So the order was, first n highly equipped college to train instructors, next an institution for those who .started their hoys in u comparatively assured position, and then a sclionl for the more numerous, who, unfortunately, could not afford much expenditure in lime or money. Might the last-named not be "provided i'or by an elaboration of tho framing now given at tlio Government farms? At three of the farms they took boys now, and all that could be expected at present was demonstrations of tlio best methods of agriculture with, a certain amount of class instruction. "ft does appeal to me," lie concluded, "l.liat wo extend improved methods, plus somo scientific training, lo » very large' number of boys if that svstein can be increased and elaborated." To train boys so that they will be a'blo to - manage a faviu when they leave a college was Mr. John Witlicll's (Timaru) idea of the purpose of an agricultural college. The Secretary for Anriculturn (Mr. T'\ S. I'opc) remarked that ha did not think the fanning community knew how much it owed to Mr. Clifton. Tho president of the conference. 'Mr. Ewan Campbell,; of AVangauui, faid that there would be a tremendous uproar if the Island jvas not given an aerioul-

tural college. Tic added Hint the Education Commi.-si6u had recommended the oMablishinent of a Xortli inland College. It was superfluous to talk of increasing Tjincolu Cullego so that it would 1 tako -Xortli Island students. "The -North Island have set -their minds on a college, and a college they will have," lio declared emphatically. Agricultural High Schools. .Mr. M'Gregor (Masterton) then moved: "That as soon as the attendance in the secondary department uf a district high school iu an agricultural or pastoral district reaches an average of fifty, ail agricultural high school should be established 011 tiie lilies of those recently .set up in Victoria and Xen; South Wales." Th.a motion was carried by a small majority. A number of delegates <l''l n °t vote.