The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1911. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 118, 9 November 1911, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1911. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

The business of politic- and the business of agriculture ill-C the two jllll'.-uilS in N'ew Zealand which are cheerfully entered without preparation. Julik-:ithm in cither is frequently left t<i happy clmnce. and men blunder through to success or failure liy dear experience. It does not matter >o much about politics, but it matters a {.'real deal to agriculture. Xew Zealand statesmen do not. as we know, look upon the land and all connected with it as the one vital (|iiestion nn which all other <|itcs-•tion-i depend, and there is not sufficient anxiety on the part of the State to edit•eate the bulk of young- Xew Zcalauders to take their part as scientific agriculturalists. It is interesting to note that there is an increasing disposition nu the part of the Xew Zealand juvenile to nndertake pursuits other than agricultural, and it is only by a very earnc-t .•state interest in a condition that will ultimately affect us harshly that the Condition will alter. The prevailing Xew Zcala-i.! idea that most boys ought to be town workers or professional men or artisan?, i- a good idea if there i- a suflicicncy of agriculturalists to keep them fed. Everybody knows that the facilities oll'ered by the Government to youngsters to study technical agriculture and allied subjects at the technical school do not attract a large proportion of scholars, and the proportion of_ boys who intend "going in'' for professions and study :U the' technical classes is in excess of the boys requiring agricultural knowledge by three to one. f„ ;,]! rnodern countries, technical schools have become exceedingly valuable institutions, and Xew Zealand and its employers and employees have with oi her count rie> shared in the advance of skill. liin ihere is no subject half so important to a country which wholly depends on the land and what is jrvowii on it and found under it ns agriculture, am] the avoidance of il by our youths is ; , .serious matter. There may exist j M the mind of the modern boy a thought thai work in the hold- is humiliating, bin during the past lifly wars, because il ha- be-

come neee>.ary for (he earth to produce a greater abundance, men of snaring inlellecl have concentrated llicir attention on the wonders and problem, of the -oil - what it produces and what it can be made to produce. Everywhere the -killed agriculturalist is leaving the oldf''-'"' ••do-it-tlie-sanie-as-grumlfather- 1 fanner behind in the race, and the old idea thai a fanner needed no brains and could get along very well with muscle alone is fas| d.\iug. We in N'ew Zealand « n ' ;"'""'l "f ' '"'.vs. They are a good lot. but if woidd be helping (lip country n great deal if a larger proportion of

our brainy you His concentrated their at- 1 tention on the land of their native coun- I try. We believe it possible for enthusiastic men (politicians or otherwise) to ! create in the New Zealand youth an enthusiasm for the land, to expand the j idea that a large proportion of this country is lying waste, and that other large proportions are not producing' a tithe of what is possible because the best brains are not applied to the problems of production. To-day, because New Zealand is empty, there is no urgent necessity for worry on the subject, but New Zealand is merely at the beginning of her life as a nation, and she must look to the future. We are always being (old by our leading men that New Zealand is going to be a great manufac,hiring country, but these yearnings for factories is an unhealthy symptom for a country that has not developed its agriculture to one-fiftieth of its possibilities. The school containing one hundred boy.s who are potential scientific agricul-" turalists is doing better work than the school containing two hundred boys who are going to become professional men, but the people don't appear to recognise this fact. The man who can enthuse the youngsters of New Zealand into a love for the land will do a great work I for New Zealand., t I

LAST NIGHT'S' MEETING.

If last night's mooting may be taken as an index, All-. liellringer's chances of success at the forthcoming poll can in no wise he discounted, hut, on the contrary, may lie accounted distinctly good. His speech was essentially a. ''lighting'' one, vigorously and tersely expressed, and that it met with the 'appreciation and sympathy nf the great majority present was manifest throughout. Mr. Kellringcr showed that he is a keen observer and close student of a flairs political, and spoke as one with a knowledge of what he was talking about. The speech was clear, incisive and informative. Such speeches are valuable, ami must, materially help electors in arriving at a clear understanding of the political issues before the country. Only a very prejudiced or ignorant person will refuse to hear both sides of a question. To exercise his vote intelligently it is necessary for nil eleeto hear what eacli' side has to say. and to carefully weigh the different candidates' views and actions. Mr. Itellringer does not attempt to conceal his views or shuffle on anv point. He is a straight-out democrat, and a supporter of democratic- measures. ; Because he believes the policy of the i present (loverument is conducive to the advancement and progress of the people and the country, he gives it his support, just as he objects to the Opposition becau-e he holds that that Party stands for reaction, retrogression and stagnation, upholding the'interests of the few against (hose of the many. His criticism of the- Opposition was vigorous and telling,..exposing, in forcible 7 fash-, ion, its. weaknesses, pretences and inconsistencies. His reference to (he tactics employed by the Opposition in this electorate at the lasl election were interesting. He showed that the present member gave out that, "he did not wish to put the Oovcrnmeiit out of ollice" liecause he believed in much of their legislation, yet, missed nn chance of votiii" against it whenever opportunity pre" sentcd itself. For voting against, the Oovernmcnl no one will blame Mr. Okey. To lead people to believe that he is'a friend of the Ooveninient. when at heart he is against il, is not consistent: but it's a game that cannot be died on a | second time. Mr. Hellringer also ex- | posed the trick that was'worked with such success l,ere at last election in regard to (he dairy regulations. That also cannot be worked again. If anything has been demonstrated it is that the dairy farmer has nothing to fear from the Government, which, as a ma tier of fact, is doing its level best to improve his lot in every way And it, is only ' the Oovernment's duty to do so. A government that neglected its duty in this respect would deserve to be "outed." On land questions Mr. Hellringer holds sound views. He supports the optional tenure, and would give lease in perpetuity holders the opportunity of converting their leases into freeholds on an equitable, basis. He regards, the O.R.P. lease as eminently suited to the man <jf small means. He again refuted the statements so sedulously put forth by the Opposition that the Oovernment has no land policy and is against freehold, and showed' that no country makes better provision for people getting on to-the land than this. Whilst giving credit to the. Oovernmcnt for ! what it had accomplished in (lie wav of bringing Maori land into use. he'expressed the opinion that the time was ripe for a big forward move. Similarly he was not satisfied that enough was being done in the way of roadinjj and opening up the back country, and urged, in this connect ion. a more vigorous policy. We agree with the candidate. Enough has not been done, as we have tried to show in the past, in pushing on the opening up of the back country and bringing into use Maori lands. ]f we had our way. every unproductive work, such as enlarging public buildings, renewing railway stations, duplicating railways, building Parliamentary buildings, would stand over till the wants of the country in respect to roads, bridges and railways, were satislied. With the provisions of the new Land Hill in operation, however, a big step forward in land settlement will have been made. The candidate defended He linancial policy of the Oovernment.. and showed that the burden of taxation now rested on those best aide to bear it, and not on the man of small means, as was the ease under the Conservative regime, lie reviewed the humanitarian legislation of the (lovcrnineul. consistently opposed up till recently by the Opposition, and lunched on a variety of other matters of concern to electors, but which exigencies of time and space prevent us l ra versing just now. The speech is fully reported elsewhere in this issue, and we commend it to electors for perusal. They will liud ill it much to iiiterc-1 them and guide (hem in arriving a I judgment us to the candidate and policy lo -iipporl This much can be said. Mr. I'.eliringcr -ul.mils a jiariiriilarly sfrone.' c.i-c. an! one that ],is opponents will have dillicuili- in affecting. Mr. Tiellringer has a big claim to the coiinideralioii of the people of the electorate in I he 'fact (hat he has for vears unscl-(i-lily exerted himself for the good of the public. Althoujdi a ...particularly busy man. he has found time to do his duty publicly and socially. He has n wholesome and successful record of service, and in undertaking it he has always exhibited exceptional ability, tact, energy and enterprise, Above, all else, he is' keenly alive to the necessity of ninkiug XcW Plymouth move with the times. He has faith in this town and this jiroviiK-c. ami his optimism is all the . more valuable because it. is based on sure Knowledge of the potentialities of the district generally and of the elector-

ate particularly. Mr". Bellringer has shown in every passible way his entire fitness to fill the high and honorable position.lre is aspiring to.