TRUST LANDS ELECTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 23 May 1913, Page 5

TRUST LANDS ELECTION.

MEETING AT FERNRIDGE.

Messrs D. A. Jricnering, H. Evans and H. C. Robinson, who are prospective candidates ior seats on the Masterton Trust Lands Trust, addressed a meeting in the Feraridge schoolhouse last night. There were nine persons present beside the candidates, and the chair was occupied by Mr G. H. Perry. Mr H. Evans was the first speaker. He said he had been connected with the Feraridge school for a number of years, and the school had only received one grant fromthe Trust in twenty years. He did not refer to capitation grants, which had been of material benefit, m connection with the campaign, it was important that the four members of the High School party should bo returned in order to advance secondary education. Referring to thr candidates, the speaker thought thai every man who considered that ho could advance education had a right to ;mver the contest. He maintained that the District High School was not a free institution for every child. It ~a& only free to holders of proficiency certificates, amd if they "did not f.v-'V Lhe cfl*>itation they had to make ir. She deficiency. Mr Pickering said that in consenting to stand for xhe Trust he had come out on the ticket for higher education. As the revenue of thr Trust increased the party considered that education should be impro/ed A High School would be of great benefit to the district as a whole. The speaker had carefully studied the working of Agricultural Schools in other places. If elected the party hoped to establish the school somewhat on the lines of Marton. With the assistance of a committee of practical farmers the students could derive a practical knowledge in different ways that would be invaluable. There was no doubt that those entering upon farming pan-suits should 1 be given, every opportunity of acquiring a special knowledge of every branch of their career. They should be taught analysis of soils, laboratory work methods of cropping, judging of stock, etc. In the High School, girls could also study the essential branches of farm work, which came wimin thei r sphere. For instance, some of the finest cheese-makers were women. (Hear! hear!) Girls could also be taught the scientific branches of gardening. A knowledge of carpentering, engineering, and other branches of practical farming work would be given if the, proper school- were., established. All they asked wss to be able to go to tne Government and strike a bargain, Knowing that they had a valuable endowment behind them. They must strike the best bargain possible. As tne town grew, the revenue of the Trust must increase, and this should be devoted to proper education. The speaker outlined the course of instruction given at the Marton School, a notable feature of which was the interest taken by students in their work. If Marton could induce scholars to come from | Wanganui and Taihape to attend their school, why could not Masterton have an institution that would produce similar results ? In conclusion the speaker said unat if elected he would do his best to study the interests of education from the primary to higher education. The next speaker was Mr Robinson whose speech was on somewhat similar lines to that delivered at Lansdowne. He said that ever since 1 he had been in Masterton he had held the opinion that Masterton should be ahead of and not-behind other towns of a similar size in the matter of education. He <juoted figures in. com*nection with the Dannevirke, Gore and Hamilton High Schools to show that these schools had been a gireat success ever since they were established. The figures, he stated, entirely destroyed the suggestion that the High School was a class institution. The objections to the High School were drivel and nonsense, and he was surprised that they had carried weight so far. In reference to the above-mentioned schools, it should not be forgotten that they had not had the advantage of endowments. But here they could go to the Government with help behind them, and as Mr Pickering had stated, "strike a bargain." The speaker stated that Mr Jackson was tne one man. to be beaten, and hjs was deibermned that Mir Jackson had to go out, and his satellites had to go out. The speaker said that he felt that he had emphasised his position by resigning, and that the public would recognise that he had done the right thing. The party could not have had two better men for the position than Messrs Pickering and Evans. The anti-High School party could not put up a man against Mr Feist, and' knew they could not. The party were putting Tin a big fight and they were going to win. At the conclusion of the meeting the chairman said that the addresses had baeirn listened to with great interest. Mr Pickering had given them some very valuable information, which would no doubt help them to make up their minds one way or the other. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proaeedings.