Agricultural Education.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 21 June 1910, Page 4

Agricultural Education.

SUGGESTED UNIVERSITY

SCHOLARSHIPS

Alt) the meriting of the Tara-yiici Executive of tlie New Zealand Fa'iners' Uniion on Thursday a matter of importance to the (farming community was brought minder the notice of the members 'by a dep.it.uion consisting of Messrs P. O'Dea ber of \Yhnganui Education l ivird) ami U. Browne (supervisor f.t tech- , mica I education in Northern Wanginni district). . Mr O'Dttt said that he had eo.'C to see the Executive in refer ;n -V to tho proposal of the Wanga mi Education hoard to establish an agricultural .scholarship. Somo time a< r o, he believed, it had boo 1 suggested that it would perhaps pay the Government better to band over tho Expeniinejital at Mouniaha'ki to the Wa_ngan Education Hoard as an agricultfnl vollege. That had prompted the Hoard Id take up tho matter ol agn cultural scholarships. The present syllabus of New Zealand education was not a very good one in, mamy respects. There were too Many frills about it—the essentials il education wore being neglected utterly. "If there was one form o' education that was being liegtv'eil it was agriculture. FiT'tcein yei'-s ago agricultural instruction was not given ill the schools, but it v as now taught in many of the primary schools. Rut there was to3_ nn:ch theory and not enough practice. A rural "course had also bee/ir an \ «ed far the High Schools. The Hoard wanted to do something to help (he boys who were leaving school. At present they had nowhere to go io pursue their studies in the liighoi 'branches oif agriculture—except to Lincoln College. Some peonle. however, thought the Lincoln College did not do good work as far ;>s the North fsland lads were concern ed, because the class of fanning the South Island greatly diffeicd from tliat in the North Island. On * ol' the proposals was ito erect an agricultural college for the Nortii Island. Tlie proposal of tho Bo - d would onablo about a dozen yoirci.s every year to .take courses ill tin! higher agricultural education. The-e were 110 agricultural soholarshios, but as the members wore no douVi a,ware there were classical scholarships. He thought their education was being run oil wrong lines, f or tc;o many dead lanvguages were br ; ing taught. (A member: Hear, hear.) More attention should be given to the practical side of a boy's edmcation. Tlie Taranaki province of the Fanners' Union occupied about one-third of the Wangauui Education District, and if tne Taranaki Executive were to co-oper-nte with the branches in the otlnr P'irts of the Wanganui centre by showing their practical sympathy than the executive would probably arouse much intercept in the nro--1 posal. He suggested that the Exe--1 cnitive should give one scholarship. The Wangauui Education Board was the first Board to move in tho 1 direction of scholarships. Thcit president (Mr .Jones) had stated to ■ the .speaker that tlie proposal was 1 very vague. He (M O'Dea) would > admit that was so. But that was because the Beard chid not know how the scheme was going to take on. • He certainly thought tho proposal 1 was on the right lines. Mr Lambie: Has the Board ;n y s idea what the cost of one of these ■ scholarships would be? ftupipofiiuc - a lad were sent to an institution likt l ' Lincoln College for three years t have yen any idea of the cost? y Mr O'Dea : I have not. It migln '■ bt* about £40 per year. 1" The President: T think that is th< !" amount of the fees at Lincoln. Mr O'Dea pointed out that upoi any money given the Govennnen were bound to give a subsidy of J <° for £. y Mr Davidson : How are you goin, \ to raise the money. ' The 'President: Public snbscri]: r : tions.

Mr Davidson : We r:;i:not pav orr own debts. (Laughter.) r O'Dea remiarkod that at tbe Education Hoard meeting t-lio other day tlic northern were taunted !tha,t at this e;,d ef tin < istriot the local 'bodies had n.jt <.ivhi their practical assist a t-e to agrvvlture a.fc all. In the southern p.oition of the Hoard's dVriet the •virions local bodiies in ado don:> (i >ns .an nually up to £50. .Mr Davidson : Have you tried tlio Hawcra. Countv Council!' Mr O'Dea: No, but we sue goirg to do so. Mr Davidson: Tiny re tlie responsible body. Mr O'Dea : That s Ffe ad-ihd that. if tbe farmers supported tbc scheme tfc would rir.'y a lot of weia'ht iin the country. Tbe President sta.; .J tluit the Wangunui Education R.'.ird was leading the >wav in the matte l ' of huitberlauc e of ed.i -rft: rn. lie thought 'that the Ex--<: i' --e odd give their support to ilio proposal 'Mr Browne endorsed the : en.arks of Mr O'Dea, .saying that tin tumble with tbe present a,g /cultural was that it "sltoips too *udd<>n'y. Tbe deputation .v r ;v. 1 banned for their attendance and £.ive:i an assurance thait their pmfmal wr.ald liinve tbe sympathy of t' e K\>c itnc Subsequently Mr Dav'd-.on tii n-'d. That the Executive ! ea.'tilv approves the proposal of r'o Wiiigalwii Ediucaton Boar ] to • sta! I-.=li agricult "-al scholarships, and v ill do all in its power to a.vst, it the question of finance to be considered at a fuller meeting. The President seconded the resolution, and it was carried una ■~ mously.