AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 April 1917, Page 2

AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

■■EDUCATION. BOARD'S SpHEME REPORTS. At yesterday's meeting of the Taranaki Education Board, Mr. E. £'. Browne, Agricultural Director, reported as follows for the month ending April 30th: . At the Technical College all work in all divisions of 'agricultural instruction has proceeded'smoothiy. The Technical College lads, nine from New Plymouth, and three from Hawera, completed the ploughing, rolling and discing of the area at Corbet Road, also cultivated the*lucerne plot, and had a little instruction in the treatment of irult trees. The Hawera lads were kindly accommodated by Mrs. King, of Corhe'tt Road. The next session of such work will he devoted more especially to indoor experimental work, and the- following one to instruction in the pruning and spraylrtg of orchards, and to the top-drossing and general treatment of pastures. It is j.hoped that numbers of lads will join for a short course during June and July, when their sen-ices mill not ho so necessary on the farms. Two more lads have .joined the agricultural, classes at New Plymouth.

, School Agriculture.—This work necessarily' slackened off somewhat in view of the week's continuous instruction at Corbet Road, and in view also of the Easter holidays, and of instructional classes to teachers at Now Plymouth. Nevertheless, some 28, schools were visited, including! Hawera,. Stratford, Opunake, Ngaere, Oaonui, Matapu, Mahoe, Auroa, Central, Tatu, Ohura, Nino Niho, Matiere, Mahirakau, Okahukurot, Waimata, Waitui, : Tarata, Radnor, CardifT, Glutei,- Puniho, Kahotu, Kahui, Newall, Uruti,. Musker's, and Mount Messenger. A pleasant feature ;s that practically all schools visited iivere cither already taking agriculture or have now talken it up for the first time. In the latter category can ge placed since the beginning, the total of 30 schools.

Iju-nijerM glasses.—-Mi) JonWm addressed the Cardiff Dairy suppliers on the 4th April, having an attendance of 22 students. Mr. Sergei addressed meetings at Rahotu, Warea and Ne'.vall, with attendances of B|, 4 aiid ,0. respectively. Meetings at Lowgarth, Auroa, Mangatoki, Mahoe and Matapu wero taken uy myself with good attendances. On the 2nd April farmers from Mangatoki and Lowgarth-, visited |tarnis at Ai'ai'lataJ, HnftvjcraJ Tokaora and 'Nprmanby to inspect various methods of establishing lucerne as ' demonstrated in areas put down'by past or present members of our classes of instruction. D.11.5. Classes.—At Stratford instruction in agriculture, dairy work, horticulture and botany continued, tout was somewhat subjected to interruption owing to instructors being busy elsewhere. At Hawera only the combined courses in agriculture and dairy work is taken, and this for examination only. Teachers' Short Course at New Plymouth.—As regards this, I have to chronicle a satisfactory result. The. attendance shows the interest taken in the class. A roll number of iSa is something of the Board has reason to be proud. The staff certainly is keenly appreciative of the' interest shown. With the exception of Hawera, Normanfoy and Mtmaia, practically every school, of any size in the Board's district > represented by the whole staff. The difficulty of suitable class'room accommodation for- such a large number was a severe strain in the way of organisation. The Good Templar.-;' ITall .was secured and this made it posiblo to address the teachers as a body as occasion required. Broken weather at times made the work a little strenuous, and at times difficult to arrange. The staff gave me most loyal support. Besides Messrs. Sergei and Johnson, Miss 0. Turton, of Wellington '(orchard work and horticultural)), and Mr. W. Dean, of Stratford District High School (dairy work), helped in handling the classes named, and several teachers, notably Miss Hanson (dairy work), Miss Laird (horticulture), and Messrs. Lyall and Matheson greatly assisted by handling various topics from time to time. During the first week an address and demonstration on life saving methods was given by Messrs. J). J. Hughes and .Schwarti). and several teachers took up thiji work as a consequence; Finally a most interesting demonstration and exhibition of the advantages of such work was given by the instructor and pupils at the baths. Afforestation. —Mr. Maxwell, of Oao•nui, gave a most interesting 'address on forestry matters, and bad a splen-1 did reception from the teachers.

Visits to Gardens and Grounds.— Several residents kindly invited -teaciiors to see their grounds, and nu.ny interesting and instructive visits were paid from time to time. Our thanks are due in this connection to Messrs. ■Newton King. T.. C. ■ List, Sole Brothers, and J. H. Frotlicy. Programme of •Work.'—The programme of work covered is' enclosed. It will be seen that it covered a wide range of topics all pertaining to nature study and agriculture. Instruction proceeded at high ' pressure throughout the course,, and good attrition was obtained practically tliro'uguout. Altogether I am more ilian satisfied with tho results of .the nini days' instruction, and feel tlmt't'io Board wo? justified in carrying it out.