FARMERS’ UNION

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19897, 28 May 1936, Page 9

FARMERS’ UNION

IMPROHNG DAIRYIiNb. .___ CONFERINOI AT AUCKLAND. EDUC;\'i‘io‘.\‘AL REFORMS. (Special Reporter.) AUCKLAND, Wednesday. A full attendance of delegates was Isain present when the Aucklandvi’i‘o\'lnClal Conference of the Farmers bu—ion was continued to-night, W 1”! the discussion or many rcmits the sitting “as continued to a late hour. A mixed reception was HCCOFGEG a Rotorua remit urglns “it“ ”19 Gowm‘ ment be rcqucstetl to include economics in the educational curriculum. The teaching or economics to schoolchildren was essential. said Mr D. B. Higgins. .\iaimnata, in supporting ”10 motion. but this would not mean that any particular school or form of economics should be taught. other speakers indicated that economics was already included in the: curriculum and was being laughl "1 Hamilton schools. 1 The remit and an amendment to it‘ were lost. l Icon-tion o! I'm-man. A remit urging the Government to“ take steps to institute a system 01‘ voluntary adult or post-adolescent education similar to the Danish foikl schools. where. after a grounding as adolescents in vocational rural work. education could be continued either seasonally or for the full year at schools giving Instruction in the mother tongue as well as in specialised voca- l tional work, was moved by Mr .\I. ELJ Barrowciough. or .\lorrinsvillc and seconded by Mr R. A. S. Brown. also‘ or .\iorrinsville. i The remit received the strong sup- ‘ port of Mr J. H. Furniss who said such schools should teach cultural sub— Jects rather than agricultural subjects. for it had to be remembered that present-day dimcuities were due rather to muddled thinking in the past than to any defect in farming methods. The Worksrs' Educational Association was doing work that might possibly prove the nucleus of the schools or training as suggested by the remit. The remit was carried unanimously. Oonoolltiutlon of Schools. A lengthy educational remit from the Bay of islands and Whangarei was explained to the meeting by Mr ii. Harrison. Whangarei. The remit was as tollows:——“ in order to remove one of the chief disabilities or farm life, country children should be given educational facilities more nearly equal to those they would have received it they lived in town. Therefore the Minister of Education be urged to institute a policy {or the complete consolidation oi country schools. the policy to include: (a) Adequate and satisfactory transport; (b) A maximum travelling distance from the school or 12 to 15 miles; (c) A maximum of 500 children in the primary department of each school; (d) A district high school as part of each consolidated school; (e) A suitable play-ground of about six acres. We ask that a full survey of country education, with the above policy in view. he made as soon as posslhle." in supporting the remit,l\lr Harrison spoke at length on the consolidation of country schools. All author—ities agreed with the idea of the consolidated school but the Department of Education was opposed to it simply because it was not law. A definite survey should he made and a definite policy followed. He was advancing a plan that would give the country children the same educational facilities as town children. Considerable opposition to the rentlt was voiced. but it was ultimately carried unanimously in its original form. Hood for Vstorinorlsno- “ This is a. remit that is long overdue when we consider how the prosperity ol’ the Dominion is linked up with animal husbandry." stated Mr 1“. \\'. Kearn. Tauranga. in bringing forward a remit to the effect that the Government be asked to establish a chair of veterinary science in the New Zealand University. Mr F- 0- Bush, or Matamata, said two attempts had been made in his LilstriCt to have a. veterinary olilcer for the area. but the farmers were unable to guarantee adequate payment to;- his services. Heavy losses at stock were annually being incurred in the Dominion because ot the lack of veterinary officers. The fear that it a chair or veteptnarv Eclence was established that tnev would have the same experience a"; with the School of Mines and that the trained veterinarian would then go abroad for more lucrative positions, “as expressed by Mr Barrowclougit. The farmers or the .\lorrinsvtlle illsirict hail hccn able to ”hm" a really qualified \'ctcrintu'lan, but It was found that they \\crc not pl-plm-ml [0 W" sufllcicntly for his smq-hq.‘ ‘ .-\ similar cxpcricncn lliltl been on-t-ounicrcd in tlic Cullllu-illgu dicirict said Mr S. N. limit“, and the l'l‘cscnt Illmt‘llll." \\tls Ihttl farmcrs \\t-re not DMD-”Td l" W” Hlli‘tilidich fur tt \'l'ln t-t‘iuttry ltnli'l‘l'. ii \\‘ltlilll hr iwiicr t‘ur Ihc i'uiun to support ”It' liuvcrmucnt‘e present plan ni‘ st-tttlin; Mung mun .tllroud fuz‘ tintiimt; by int-ans of M‘llui—arshlps. Finally. an ililll‘iitlillt‘ill mtm-tl lw \[u “l'(|\\ll. .\ltt:‘|"n~\il]t“ that (“1‘ ill-R“ t'riililt‘ul 11(‘(l\l\1‘ll in int-roast- llii' iillrliA her of \t'llllliti'fillills l‘. 1’ training in \cl—t‘l'liidi'} sclcnt't- \\us carricd. L