A VISIT TO RUAKURA.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1970, 29 January 1914, Page 8

A VISIT TO RUAKURA.

MR. G. M. THOMSON, M.P., IMPRESSED. Mr. G. M.Thomson, M.l\, is strongly of opinion that an experiment farm on tho lines of that at lluakura should be 'established in tho South Island. Speaking of his recent visit to tho Wnikato institution, Mr. Thomson said that excellent work ivas being done by Mr. Primroso M'Connell and his assistants. "There is great demand for agricultural instruction in ■ this country,' especially in tho North Island," added Mr. Thomson, "but while each district is crying out for. the establishment of'an agricultural college or high school in "its midst, liero is an establishment already in existence where excellent. practical training' is being gireu. It is not on tho somewhat expensive lines of tile Lincoln Agricultural Collego,. which is doing sucli good work in the South Island ; but. it is.a'good training school for lads of small means, and with a comparatively inexpensive addition to its equipment could bo mado very effective for the training of 40 or 50 lads ou good lines. The experimental work alone is very valuablo and suggestive t-.i the lads. In connection with the departmental management, it seemed to me that there was too much control in certain directions by the central office. Tho superintendent should have a freer hand than ho has at present in tho matter, for exa.uple, of securing casual labour in the way of employing extra hands without applying to the "Public Sen-ice Commissioners. By the time they would deal witli tho application tho need for the special assistance would he gone. Tliis is i.o doubt, necessary for permanent employees, but is quito absurd for the casual labour sometimes required on a farm. In the interests. of good management and economy the superintendent should' have a cortaiii amount of liberty to employ such labour as he considers essential in times .of nrgency. At the time of my visit, owing to the extremely broken weather, there v*r need for more labour to cope with the crops, which urgently required, to be cut. Men could easily have been obtained for a few davs at a time, but the - superintendent had no power to employ them except at his own risk."