SCIENCE PAYS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1854, 13 September 1913, Page 4

SCIENCE PAYS.

The member for Rangitikci (Mr. E. Newman) was very heartily congratulated in the House of Representatives on Thursday on the valuable information contained in a report prepare:! by him on his recent visit to th > Bawkesbury Agricultural College i» New South Wales. Me. Newman takes a keen interest in all that concerns the welfare of the farmer, and is not content merely to run along in the old grooves. What was good enough for our grandfathers is not good enough for Mr. Newjian, who is evidently convinced that uhless New Zealand agriculturists go in for the most up-to-date methods they must be beaten in the world's markets by competitors in other countries. When Mb. Newman visited Hawkesbury he had the needs of New Zealand in his mind, and in his report he lays stress on those features which might prove useful in his own country. What can be done in Australia und Canada can be done in New Zealand also with the necessary modifications to suit our special conditions, and any reliable information of this character is of the greatest value at the present time, when tho Government is considering the best way of assisting our farmers to work their holdings on tho most scientific lines. Scjence, after all, is only accurate' as Mr, G. M. Thomson remarked in tho House during tho discussion on Mr. Newman's report, and the object of agricultural education .is to show how this knowledge can be put to the best use. The value of scienco in dairying was aptly illustrated by Sir Walter Buchanan, who stated that during his recent visit to London he had noted _ a great difference between Canadian and New Zealand cheese, which ho attributed to the fact that Canada has a better system of agricultural education than we have in New Zealand. This statement is borne out in the recent report of our High Commissioner, who comments very unfavourably on some of the cheese sent Home from this country. Our producers cannot expect to compete successfully with thai r rivals in other lands unless they can put an equally good article on ihe market, and education alone can enable them to do this. 1 Agriculture is by far the most important industry in New Zealand, and it is a decided advantage to have in Parliament a gr.oup_ of men who can speak with practical knowledge on all matters relating to the farmer and his needs.