FOR SONS OF SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 55, 28 November 1917, Page 6

FOR SONS OF SOLDIERS

KITCHENER SCHOLARSHIPS

TRAINING IN AGRICULTURE

APPEAL FOR FUNDS

When.the New Zealand troops were fighting in Gallipoli, Colonel Hcaton Rhodes was sent to the war zone to make investigation on behalf of the Government into complaints that wore reaching this country about a variety of things affecting the comfort and general well-being of the soldiers. For this service he was to receive no remuneration from the Now Zealand Government, hut ho was to bo allowed travelling expenses. When ho returned to Now Zealand a vote of £1000 was passed by tho House to cover these expenses, and Colonel Rhodes announced at once that he would not accept any of the money for himself, but would make use of it to establish a fund for scholarships for the sons of members of the Expeditionary Force. It was afterwards suggested that the scholarships should bo 'known as Kitchener Memorial Scholarships, and by this title, the bursaries will in future be known. The Council of Education was asked te advise as to the conditions of the scholarships, and the first proposal of the council was that they should be' naval scholarships. This was provisionally approved, but after inquiries had been made in Australia and elsewhere it was found that this scheme was not practicable. The Council of Education reconsidered _ the matter, and now it has been decided that the scholarships are to ho agricultural. Tho funds in hand at present are £1000. tho amount donated by Colonel Rhodes. It is proposed ths't £1000 more shall be raised by public subscription, and it is announced by the Minister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan) that Mrs. Heaton Rhodes will head the subscription list with a donation of £250. On the recommendation of the Minister, the Government has agreed to pay a pound for pound subsidy on any donations up to the amount of £1000, so that if expectations are realised a fund of £3000 will be provided to found a scholarship, or perhaps more than one scholarship, in memory of Field-Mar-shal Lord Kitchener. The winner'of one of these agricultural scholarships will be required tp attend Lincoln College, or one of the Stato Experimental Farms, or any other approved Stato agricultural institution. The scholarships are to be expressly practical in character, and they should afford facilities for the training of the holders in scientific agriculture or dairy work, to fit them as practical farmers, experts for the Agricultural Department, or as teachers of agriculture. The trustees administerinc the fund, Colonel Rhodes and the Director of Education (Dr. Anderson), are prepared to accept further public donations.