AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1925, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

SITTINGS OF COMMISSION

AUCKLAND, March 10. 1 Tlie Agricultural Commission heard witnesses to-day.

Hugh Crawford, president of the Wliangarei Agricultural and Pastoral Association, said that the Auckland province had a very great variety of soils which presented many problems still to he solved. Facilities for scientific training were much required. Answering the lion O. T'owkls. witness said that he did not consider that the most important part of the work of an agricultural college would be to turn out men with degrees. S. Hodge, president of the Auckland Agrciultural and Pastoral Association, said that an agricultural college _ in connection with scholastic institutions would Ik? of great use in bringing about increased production.. Agricultural training in district high schools might be developed, but it would necessitate the employment of trained teachers. F. 11. Leonard, dairy produce exporter, said that he bad sent bis lour sons to the Auckland University with a view to their Incoming farmers. Ihe influence of college was in other directions. That was because agriculture bad not a proper status. He suggested summer camp throughout the province, so that experiments might be made with various soils. Kdmutiil Clifton, iate Director of the Fields Division of the Agricultural Department, urged that the nccossnrj practical and experimental farm should lie as near as pass ible to the School of Agriculture. He agreed, however, that the 11 link urn farm was a type of school that would provide a training ground for young men aiming at becoming farmers. T'. H. Paterson, instructor in agriculture. urged the necessity for more practical training. As an art agriculture could only he learned hv practice, as a science it must he learned by study. In Auckland province there were over 2500 holdings in an area of fourteen million acres. In the Fields Division at Auckland there were three instructors. If each instructor took a third share of tin? holdings and visited two each day, it would take him sixteen years to complete his share. After further evidence the Commission adjourned until to-morrow.