JUST ONE COLLEGE.

Shannon News, 4 August 1925, Page 2

JUST ONE COLLEGE.

fur agricultural education

OPINION OF FARMERS. ‘•The question is not whether we slum nave one or two agricultural cuueges in New' Zealand, but whether wc snuuld have one or none at- all,” sum me president of the Farmers’ Union Conference (Mr W. J. Poison) a; w eit.ugtou, when a remit was advanced conveying the sentiment that i. ,m:,c are to be two agricultural colleges, it is the opinion of the Otago in am u mat the second should be at t.meoiii College. L was considered, iniwever, that one was sufiicieni lor ...c •.,..; re meals of the Dominion. Mr 1-. Waite (Otago), spoke bnelly on dus subject,, and said New Zealand was singularly lacking in turnhig oat professorial agriculturalists. Mr Vv. B. Matlieson (Eketaliuna), spoke iu a remit on the question, and br.id .acre were too many going into ihe “Mack-coated” prolession, while ihe country was being swamped with siumMiis for the law.

Mi u. P. Lynch (Manawatu), advanced a claim of Levin (Weraroa) i'or die North island agricultural college, and said the land -on which the Uovornmem had already made improvements of £20,000, was valued at £9O per acre. A voice: Too high! In continuing, Mr Lynch proteslcd that Levin was . admirably situated. He .thought tlie-re should be two agricultural colleges—one in tlie\North and -one in the South. NEW ZEALAND EAR BEHIND.

A member (facetiously)-: Why not have a floating college. (Laughter). The president said the question was not whether there would he one or two, but whether there would be one or none at all. New Zealand was truly lar behind hi higher educational matters, and he thought members should concentrate on having- a college established—-irrespective of its locale. . i

The conference finally decided that one agricultural college was sufficient for the requirements of the Dominion. On behalf of North Canterbury, Mr J. D. Hall urged in a remit that the Government provide additional funds for research work, and also an increase in agricultural instructors. Mr Roberts (Poverty Bay) struck a startling note when he said tlie iand in New Zealand was going back at the rate of £IIO,OOO per year, and it was that that the extra research staff was expected to check.