FARMING FIRST

Hokitika Guardian, 29 July 1929, Page 7

FARMING FIRST

EDUCATIONAL POLICY. SPEECH BY AIR ATMORE. AVELLINGTON, June 25. The Alinister for Education (Hon. Air Atmore) outlined his new educational policy to the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union to-day. Air Atmore said that his intention was to remodel the educational system of thlc country to bring it into line with the national life of the Dominion. The reason-for the unemployment in New Zealand to-day was largely owing to the fact that education had not been along right lines. It was because New Zealand’s system of education had been based upon Oxford lines, where boys had been sent to the University to learn good manners. Such a system was of little use in a country like New Zealand, in which almost every person had to earn his own living. But putting the false idea before boys that the professional man was everything, and the practical man nothing, a wrong impression had been_ created. There could be no solution of the unemployment difficulty in New Zealand until Iboys were taught that it was just as imporant to embark upon agricultural and industrial pursuits as to become clerks.

The farming business was the greatest of all. and the proposal to borrow £50,000,000 to be made available for farmers was a statesman like provision of capital which should have been made available during recent years. Every man should find a full expression for his intellectual powers, .and he made hold to say that in New Zealand evciy man could find such expressiionl in farming. But luivfoytunatcly the conditions of Farming in the Dominion were not satisfactory. Voices: There you have it. “ Yes,” proceeded the Alinister, “ and why are farming conditions in New Zealand not satisfactory? It is because we are not putting first things first. The farmer is hampered in every way. He cannot get sufficient capital, and he occupies an inferior social status. Where do. the people of New Zealand get their ideas of social values? It is in the schools, ynd it is here that we must put tilings right! Proceeding, Air Atmore said that the Dominion had had for the last sixteen years a Government which was supposed to be a farmers’ Govtememnt, and yet a leader of that Party had said he was not concerned with putting people on tbie land, but with helping the poor beggars who were on the land to remain there. This surely was little encouragement to people to go upon the land. AVitli regard to the new policy of education, Ixq intended to teach in the schools that farming was the most important industry in the Dominion. He (Mr Atmore) emphatically declared that New Zealand must have more farmers before she could become truly prosperous.

Air AY. J. Poison: Alorb prosperous farmers: not more farmers. Air Atmore said there was not a single difficulty which farmers had to face which could not be removed if there was a proper education of public opinion as to the importance of primary industries. The Minister said vhr.c Iho Education Department was at present spending £II6OOO a year in conveying children to schools. In reply to several questions regarding the consolidation ofxschools, the Alinister said he had gathered his policy from the: leading educationists of the world, and was trying to adapt their proposals to the needs of New Zealand.

Mr A Dickie (Southland) said that while they all .agreed with Mr Atmorle’s ideals he had failed altogether to give any details as to how he was going *to carry them out. The Minister had also overlooked the fact that the proposal lie intended to adopt hod not yet been tried out in England. He (Mr Dickie) was of opinion that the best results were not obtained in the large city schools in New Zealand, and that the best results were obtained in schools of 2-00 or 300 pupils, with three or four teachers. The Minister said it was true that he had not yet carried out his new policy, but lie had come there to tell them that ho intended to lay down the policy that the children in the schools of New Zealand should be taught that farming was the; most important thing in New Zealand.