TEACHING FARMERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1924, Page 3

TEACHING FARMERS.

USE OF MACHINERY. SYDNEY, .1 it I v H.

The widespread de-ire amongst farmers for technical knowledge regarding machinery, parlieulaly tractors, which will assist them in the efficient working of their areas, has been demonstrated in Queensland. The announcement that the principal of the State Agricultural College at Gattoll had decided to establish a class for the instruction of farmers in the use of tractors and other machinery was followed by a Hood nf applications from all parts of the State. It is the iir»t class of the kind to lie established in Australia, and all the States are watching the experiment with great interest. Although hundreds of applicants for the first course had to lie rejected, about seventy went into resilience at the college last week, and the course will la-t about a fortnight, i here are fourteen niei-hanii-s in charge of the various machines.

The tractor firms have co-operated wholeheartedly with the principal if the college to make the scheme a success, and ten irat-lnrs have been plae.'d at the disposal of the Department Infuse during the course ol instruction. Sn important do .some ol the tractor firms consider this initial (“(fort in the Commonwealth to popularise the tractor for agricultural work, and instruct farmers iff their u-e, that the “I win City” anil - Allis Chalmers’’ traeto-s have been sent specially from Mcthottrne for use at the college course. Other machines represented tier the Fiat, (’letr:ii-, Ford-on. Hart Parrs. British Wallis and McCormick IVering. Various implement-makers ha re also loaned tractor ploughs to use (or demonstration.

The course which has been mapped out covers tractor work in its vnri.ris

phases, the morning sessions ol ca'-h da.v being devoted t«> lectures, while in Ihe afternoon practical held work is dime. So splendidly is the scheme organised that each fanner gets praotirally individual instruction at each of the tractors, its only seven men at a lime are apportioned to each tractor, the arrangement ol the sessions allowing of every attendant til the course til some time getting inslrtution in each make of tracotr til the college. The Held course covers valve grinding and decarbonising. and as mueh mechanical work of its kind ns can he safelv taught in the fori night. A splendid adjunct- to the school is a display by the various firms of the parts of their machines, and these are finely housed to advantage in one ol l he line rooms recently built under the administrative building. Mr d Saunders. B.Se.. principal of the Ipswich Technical College. has also loaue.l excellent assortment of models relative to the internal combustion on-