BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 252, 14 March 1913, Page 5

BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.

A NEW PROPOSAL.

THE PRIME MINISTER'S SCHEME.

By lelegraph. Per Press Association. Ashburton, Last Xight. This morning the Prime Minister visited the High and Teclinie.il schools, inspected the hospital, and transacted departmental business. A 2 p.m., with the Hon. K. Ilea ton Rhodes, he left by motor for Springston and Lincoln in continuation of his Canterbury tour. At the High School he formally handed over to the chairman of the Board of Governors the ensign which had been handed to Miss Kershaw (lady principal) when on her recent visit to England, by the pupils of the Ashburton Grammar School in Devonshire. It may be explained that the gift was the sequel to the presentation of a flag from the New Zealand Ashburton School to its namesake in the Old Land about 12 months ago. A deputation, consisting of members of the High School Board and the Ashburton branch of the Farmers' Union requested that an experimental farm should be established in Ashburton. They stated that the High School Board had already offered the Government its 220-acre reserve, within one mile of Ashburton, and in this connection had made three alternative proposals; firstly it had been proposed to exchange the re-serve-for lands equivalent in value, secondly to let the Government have the land at a valuation rental, and thirdly to give it to the Government at a peppercorn rental, provided the Department's experts would give the necessary lectures to the pupils of the school on agriculture and fruit-growing.

The Prime Minister said tlmt as far as lie could see. a.s regavrls the establishment of an experimental farm, the offer of the Ashburton High School Board was t-lie most practical suggestion yet put forward. It was his intention to make the experimental farms more useful than they at present were, and he intended to endeavor to arrange between (lie Agricultural Department and the authorities at Lincoln College, so that they could work in conjunction for the honefit, of farmers, lie contemplated establishing a Board of Agriculture for the whole of New Zealand, to be composed of seven members, two or three farmers from the North Island, and two or three farmers from the South Island, with the Minister of Agriculture as president. It had been said that they did not get the benefit from the experimental farms that they should, and such a board would help to increase their usefulness. The proposal would shortly be brought to a head. The duties of the Board would be fo control and advise in agricultural matters. It was not a new thing, and was working successfully in other countries. The party was then driven to the reserve in question, and after the condition of the land, its accessibility by road, ami the manner in which it was situated had been explained, Mr. Massev remarked: 'T think this offer will be taken advantage of."