AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1918, Page 3

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

ALLEGED UNSATISFACTORY I CONTROL. 'DEPUTATION TO EDUCATION BOARD A deputation from the 11aworn Tech- I jiical College Committee waited upon the Taranaki Education Board at its meet- j ing yesterday, regarding the present eon- j trol of agricultural instruction at Hawera yiul New Plymouth. The deputation was introduced by Mr. Dixon, and consisted of Messrs. J. B. Murdoch, L. 0 Brooker (Hawera), J. Paton, W. F. Short (New Plymouth). Mr. Murdoch said the deputation was fully av.are of, and appreciated, what the board had done for technical education. They recognised that under the board the position at Hawera had improved. What they asked for, however, was that the present system, which amounted to a dual control in respect to the agricultural classes, ahoiild be altered, and the agricultural instruction placed under the control of the Director of Technical Education. The deputation was only concerned with the instruction given at the technical schools, and had nothing to do with any outside classes. The present system was not in the best interests of the pupils of the district. When the agricultural instructor came to the school pupils were taken away from the control of the technical director, and this dual control was unsatisfactory. Hawera was probably more concerned in the matter of agricultural education than was the New Plymouth end of the province. The industry was very important to the district, and the residents there lAoked upon the matter seriously. Farming was a business into which many people went in a haphazard manner, and the results sometimes were anything but satisfactory. What was wanted was an instructor who could divide Ins time between Ha wera and New Plymouth, giving, say, two days per week at one place one week, and three days the next week, and so on alternately. At present it sometimes happened that a different instructor came along, and he (the speaker) did not think it possible that one man could take up a lesson just where another had left it with satisfactory results. Mr. Murdoch said his committee was unanimous in asking for a change, and did so only in order to attain a higher standard of efficiency. He recognised -that excellent work had been done at New Plymouth, but contended that such an arrangement as the deputation was suggesting would in no way prejudice that work. Hawera was destined to become a very important agricultural district, and they hoped in time to have a complete technical institution of their own, but it was felt that the time was not opportune at present for such a move. A l !' Jt !? oker ' in 3l 'PP°rting the remarks ot Mr. Murdoch, said no private business could or would carry on on such lines, and he was quite sure the present system did not yield the best results. The short time given to agricultural instruction at Hawera at present was no use. He considered that the theoretical and practical classes should be taken in conjunction, in order to get the best results. He then proceeded to discuss the qualifications of the director of agricultural education, and expressed the opinion that a more practical man should be appointed. He had no personal feeling against any director or instructor, but spoke merely in the best interests of agricultural education. He maintained that if the foundation of the instruction was right the results would be right. Mr. J. Paton said he had joined the Hawera members of the (deputation at very short notice, but he fully supported the views expressed by Mr. Murdoch. The New Plymouth Committee had considered the matter, and it was very certain they would bring the matter under the notice of the board. Mr. bliort, in supporting the previous speakers, complained lack of control over agricultural students, who had been known to arrive at the school, and not know what to do, and there was no one to direct them; consequently there was much waste of time. He urged that a change was desirable. In reply to Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. Murdoch stated that the idea of the deputation was to have the whole course of agricultural instruction placed under the control of the director of teclinidal education. The chairman intimated that informatioh had been received from the Department that day that the development of technical education would in all probability receive the Department's recognition, and that changes would be taking place there which would ultimately lead to the establishment of a district institution at ilawers. Mr. Murdoch said he was pleased to hear what the chairman had said, and was sure the information would be received with satisfaction by Hawera residents. Mr. Dixon said he had had several years' experience with the director of agricultural education, and knew him to be a most practical man. The work he had done in Taranaki was probably the finest done in the Dominion. With regard to the overlapping, he could see noi reason why that should happen. He was satisfied that, after years of experience, the present system of agricultural instruction was in the best interests of the district. Concerning the charge of students wasting their time on arrival at the school, because there was no one to direct them what to do, he said it was a most serious charge, and should be fully investigated, and, if found true, a,t once rectified. A further discussion on the qualifications of the director of agricultural instruction was interrupted by Mr. Wilkinson, who pointed out that the qualifications of the instructor or director had nothing to do with what the deputation was asking. Mr. White supported Mr. Wilkinson's protest. The chairman pointed out that the position at Stratford was the same as at Hawera, and the system had worked satisfactorily there, where there were some eighty pupils taking the agricultural course. The Stratford pupils got six hours' instruction per week. He asked what support was likely to be given by the Hawera Committee in the event of the board adopting the suggestions of the deputation.

Mr. Murdoch said that there had been, he thought, five pupils at Hawera last year, but he was confident that if a change was made in the control of the instruction a good many more pupils could be obtained. Many boys of from sixteen to eighteen years were doing the work of elder brothers who had gone to the war. These boys, if released from the farm work, would be amongst those who would be glad to avail themselves of the course in agricultural instruction, and he thought it would be possible to get perhaps twenty pupils at Hawera. Last year Hawera had guaranteed something like £IBO or £2OO, and he was quite sure if the proposed change was made the Hawera people would stand by the board. The chairman thanked the deputation, I which, he said, the board had been pletu.