The Telephone. WITH WHICH INCORPORATED THE POVERTY BAY STANDARD. PUBLISHED EVERY GISBORNE, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume 1, Issue 277, 4 November 1884, Page 2

The Telephone. WITH WHICH INCORPORATED THE POVERTY BAY STANDARD. PUBLISHED EVERY GISBORNE, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4.

In the House of Representatives recently Mr. Smith, the member for Waipawa, asked the Government if they would give effect to the recommendation made by Mr. Bowron, the Inspector of Dairies, by setting aside a grant of land on which to erect an agricultural training school, to be used as a cheese and butter factory. Mr. Smith stated that throughout the Colony a great number of these factories existed, and that, according to Mr. Bowron's report, the great difficulty experienced was in not being able to get thoroughly efficient cheesemakers. The Inspector therefore recommended that the Government should put aside a block of land for an agricultural school, where persons could be trained, and then sent out to the various cheese factories throughout the Colony. This is precisely what is wanted. Of the various industries for which New Zealand is so well adapted, the difficulty in the way of their being successfully managed is the want of experienced persons who have special knowledge of the particular industry taken in hand. This is apparent every day in such industries as hop growing, the culture of tobacco, and almost any industry that is named. We are, however, somewhat surprised at the answer given by the Hon. the Premier to the question put by Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith’s question, as stated above, related only to cheese and butter factories. Mr. Stout in replying said that the Government recognised the need of a school of agriculture for the North Island. That there was one in Canterbury, and no doubt there ought to be one in the North Island. Then the Premier said that, speaking for himself, the site of 'such an Agricultural school should be somewhere North of Auckland, “ so that attention could be given to sub-tropical products.” Wc scarcely suppose that the hon. the Premier would strictly speaking, look upon butter and cheese as altogether a sub-tropical production. Even should such be done, the establishment of an agricultural college in the part of the colony referred to by him for the purpose of furthering the butter and cheese industry, would be open to serious objection. The territory North of Auckland has natural advantages of a character, that no matter what Government be in power, it is their duty to have those advantages developed. For the growth of sub-tropical products that district is specially adapted. All the products of Southern Europe could there luxuriate—the olive and the vine flourish as in their natural habitat. The capabilities of the North in this respect have lately been brought prominently to view. The labors of Mr. Federli in taking up a large tract of country at Hokianga for the purpose of forming a settlement for the especial cultivation of sub-tropical products will tend in a very marked degree to develope those capabilities. For years past the people of the North, have sought in vain for the course now being ’ pursued. But to establish an Agricultural school there for the purpose of training persons to make cheese and butter, is, what the peope there do not want, and if they did ask for such a thing, it would be the height of folly to grant |

such a request, Thgy naturally enough wish that the industries for which that district is specially adapted should be developed. But cheese and butter making would not, so far as we are aware, come within that category. The establishment of a school of agriculture, such as was referred to by Mr. Smith in the House, should be further South, say on the East Coast, and should be an institution altogether apart from one, where persons would graduate in the knowledge df the art of growing olives, of exotics of that character, The soil, the climate and the other manifold advantages this part of the Colony possesses, point unmistakeably to it as being the proper locality for founding such a school of agriculture. No part of New Zealand could offer greater advantages for such an institution than Poverty Bay. A thorough knowledge of that art, and all the details of farm and dairy work could be imparted by competent teachers, We should then soon 1 have thorough practical farmers in our midst, and the evil complained of by Mr. Bowron, of being unable to obtain efficient cheese makers would disappear. No doubt the hon. member for Waipawa will not remain content with the somewhat indefinite reply furnished to his question by Mr. Stout.