AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 March 1917, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

PROPOSED HIGH SCHOOL ESTERI- I MENTAL FARM. . At the last meeting of the New Plymouth High School Board a committee, consisting of Messrs Atkinson, Sladden and Webster, was set up to meet Mr. | Deem, of the Agricultural Department, to discuss .a suggestion that the Boys' High School should co-operate with the Department 1 in the establishing and working of an experimental farm for Xorth Taranaki. The committee's report was before the Board on Monday night. It stated that "in reply to a suggestion from the committee, that Mr, Deem should indicate the attitude of the Department with regard to the co-operation of tile Board in extending agricultural instruction in this district, Mr. Deem stated that the suggestion was that the Board should rent from 40 to »0 acres of good land as convenient to the school as possible, the Department being willing to .purchase land for the purpose. The land having been acquired, a manager would be installed by the Board, but the work-' ing would he directed by the.Department, the object being to carry on agricultural operations and investigations beat suited to the requirements of fhe district (North Taranaki). It would be the endeavor of the Board in working the land to make its produce pay tlio expenses, notwithstanding that a great ideal of the work would bo experimental. Should, however, the reqeipta not be I sufficient to meet the expenditure, the Department would, make up the deficiency to the extent of £l5O per aniiium, in addition to finding all manures and seeds, provided the work was carried on to the satisfaction of the Department. Mr. Deem .stated thajfc- it was proposed to establish similar experimental farms at Manaia and Stratford. Pupils of other institutions would be admitted as visitors only if the Board acquired the land. Mr. Deem said there was no immediate hurry about the matter, but Hie now wished to know if the Board was favorably disposed to the suggestion, as It would not then be necessary for him to look in other directions for co-operation with the Department. If, after consideration, the Board decided favorably, he would like to receive a confirmatory letter." Mr. Atkinson, in moving that the Board give its support to the scheme,, stated that they would not be asked to attempt the scheme until times were normal again. It might be thought that dual control would cause some trouble, but he thought the Department would meet the Board and devise some workable scheme in connection with the appointment of a manager. Personally, he thought that it would be a good thing, both for the Bchool and the Agricultural Department. He did not believe in the agricultural plot system. It was like teaching a boy carpentering with a toy set of tools. The chairman pointed out that the finance would have to be considered. Suitable land would cost £IOO per annum, and there would be another £2OO required for the manager's salary. The Agricultural Department would provide £KSO, also the manure and seedß. it was absolutely certain they would be able to use all the produce. The idea was to run the farm as a dairy experimental farm. '

Mr. H. Trimble favored the idea. Mr. Webster ;onsidered the idea a splendid one, and that the Board should at once express its approval. Agricultural education had been moving to the forefront of late. In tho plot syst«m there was a good deal of waste time, and it was not a direct benefit. Ashburton school hud adopted a similar scheme, but sufficient time had not elapsed to prove whether ifc was payable. The Board should pass a resolution approving the scheme, so tiiat Mr. Deem need not approach any other institution to take up the matter. There \vas no hurry to go in for the scheme, and the details re finance, etc., could be gone on with, say in two years, when the lease of the present 14 acres would liavo expired. The proposed farm would be a tig factor in the agricultural lessons at 'Jie school. 1 \ Mr. Smith- favored the scheme, but ivould have liked to hear more details re finance, etc. On the motion of Messrs Atkinson and Webster, it was resolved that the BoaTd is prepared to co-operate with tho Department in the matter of the experimental farm whenever the Department considered the time opportune.