PROPOSED DAIRYING CLASSES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 23 October 1907, Page 2

PROPOSED DAIRYING CLASSES.

. REPORTED FAILURE AT STRATFORD. There was a lengthy discussion last night at the Education Hoard meeting upon the proposal to erect accommodation for dairying classes at the New Plymouth Technical School. Meal's. Wade and Tisch reported upon the question of erecting a dairy room at the New Plymouth Technical School. They had considered two proposals —■ (a) converting the present woodwork room into a dairy room niul erecting a detached woodwork room, cost £285; (1>) the erection of a detached dairy room 25ft x 30ft in brick. The committee recommended that an application be made to the Department for a grant of £340 for erection of a room as in the second proposal. Mr. Monkhouse moved that the committee's report be received and the committee thanked for it, but that the report be. not adopted. It might seem ungracious that a member from the south end of the district, where they had a dairy room, should oppose the granting of similar facilities at the north end, but he felt impelled to do so. He had carefully watched the results of the Stratford dairy classes, and had come to the conclusion that the dairy room there had not justified its existence. No doubt some valuable work had been done, but he believed the results would have been just as well in an ordinary room, and the work would then have been done uhder conditions closer to those under which the children would have to work. But, although Stratford was in the centre of the dairying districts and was exceptionally well served in the matter of trains, the expenditure upon the Stratford dairy room had not been justified, and on those grounds lie could not favor the erection of a dairy room at New Plymouth. There was 110 seconder.

Mr. Morton said he was somewhat o Mr. Monkhousc's opinion, but not t( such an extent as to make him secom the resolution.- lie remarked that th; dairy room would be available for othei purposes.

Mr. Tiseh moved the adoption of the report. lie considered a great mistake had been made in not providing u room when the school was built. He mentioned that he had received much encouragement locally.

Mr. Morison was not prepared to say that the Stratford dairy room had not been justified, but lie believed the work could have been done in a less costly room. The dairy room was not used more than three months in the year. (Mr. Monkhouse: Only one.) lie was not opposed to conducting the classes, but objected to unnecessary expenditure in buildings. In answer to questions, The Chief Inspector said that two dairy classes had been held at Stratford right through the year, and the practical instruction must be given in the dairy room. About eighty children had attended. He couldn't see why the dairy room should have stood empty as alleged.

Tn answer to Mr. Monkhouse, lie said he was sure the majority of the classes had not' been held in the chemical room. Mr. Monkhouse: Couldn't the work have been done equally well in an ordinary room ?

Mr. Ballantyne replied that he would be sorry to see the classroom modelled oil backblock conditions just because butter was sometimes made under those conditions. The children should lie shown, so to speak, sm ideal room. Mr. Morison moved an amendment that the matter be deferred for a month, and that in the meantime the inspector report fully upon the working of the Stratford dairy room.

This was lost, and the adoption of tho report was carried on a division. Messrs. Adlam, Morison, Monkhouse, and Trimble opposing.