THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE QUESTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9089, 14 May 1908, Page 5

THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE QUESTION.

ACTION BY THE TRUST LAN 33

TRUST,

At the meeting of the Masterton Trust Lands Trustees last; evening reference was made to the question of establishing an agriculture college on theTe Ore Ore road at the junction of the Waipoua arid Ruamuhanga rivers.

Mr C. E. Daniell brought up the matter, and in doing so said that the recent oPer of Mr W. C. Buchanan, of £6,000, to endow an Agricultural School in Wairarapa, called attention to the practical value, in the minds of those most competent to judge, of technical training in farming pursuits. The earlier Governments of the'dominion set aside in this district various blocks of land for purposes of education, which lands are now administered by the Board of School Commissioners. The founders of Masterton, in the same spirit,ffet aside certain lands for like purposes* The Trustees were elected on a popular basis to develop the pro perty, and use the funds in assisting to train our youth, and the Trust had been successful in encouraging efforts in primary, secondary and technical education. The matter of establishing an Agricultural College was of extreme important, and deserved the heartiest encouragement the Trust could give. He moved, That the attention of the Minister for Education be directed to these facts as set out by him, and that with a view to ti.e further development of practical education in this distiict the Government be asked to set aside the lands at the junction of VVaipoua and Ruamahanga Rivers for the purposes of an Agricultural School. The varied qualities of the soil make it an ideal place for experimental work. The Masterton Agricultural and Pastoral Association recently expressed its opinion that such a school was desirable. This Trust being charged with the duty of fostering education in its widest sense with its yearly increasing revenue believes that the best interests of our children will be served in helping a definite sch?:ii3 of practical education suited to the probable requirements of students in their life work as producers in an institution such as could be here provided. The various Trustees expressed hearty sympathy with the resolution, which *vas carried unanimously.