AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 139, 15 March 1909, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Hamilton Agricultural School.

It was recently announced that the Government had made a grant of £3,500, being the first instalment of a promise of £6OOO for the establishment of an Agricultural School at Hamilton, Waikato. Asked by a representative of the Farmers' Union Advocate if it was proposed to make this the nucleus of an agricultural college for the North Island, the Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister for Education, said that was not the present proposal. The school was being controlled by the educational authorities of Auckland. It would assume the form of a High School, with a strong agricultural bias, and would be managed by a Board of Governors. Mr Fowlds stated that he did not consider the time ripe for the establishment of an Agricultural College in the North. He was not in favour of a large institution of the kind, preferring to see the element i of agriculture taught at the technical schools in the various districts. He pointed out that the dairy classes t in connection with the Stratford Technical School had turned out highly successful, and if other districts were tg give instruction in the form of agriculture suited to the locality, much good would be accomplished. The Minister was strongly of opinion that agricultural education should be promoted whereever possible, and he appreciated the efforts which were being made by the Farmers' Union to asssit in the matter. So far as the Hamilton school was concerned, it would have the advantage of being within easy distance of the Ruakura Experimental Farm.