EDUCATION: CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. ("THE CANTERBURY COLLEGE AND CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE ACT, 1896.")

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1904 Session I, E-11

E.—ll.

1904. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. ("THE CANTERBURY COLLEGE AND CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE ACT, 1896.")

[In continuation of E.-11, 1903.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. Visitor. —His Excellency the Governor. Board of Governors, Appointed by His Exoellency the Governor —E. Richardson. Elected by members of the Legislature—Hon. E. C. J. Stevens (Chairman), M. Murphy, F.L.S., and D. Maomillan. Eleoted by governing bodies of agricultural and pastoral associations—Sir George CliSord, Bart., W. P. M. Buckley, 8.A., and J. Studholme. Staff, Director. —W. Lowrifi, M.A., B.Sc, Lecturer on Veterinary Science. —W. J. Oolebatch, B.Sc. (Agriculture), M.R.C V.S. Lecturer on Chemistry. —G. Gray, E.C.B. Lecturer on Applied Mathematics. —M. Guerin, C.E. Instructor in Woodwork. — ¥. W. Sandford.

Beport of the Director. Sir,— I have the honour to submit a brief report on the work of this institution for the year ending the 31st December, 1903. College. The change in the curriculum brought about at the end of 1901, whereby the course of instruction was extended from two years of two sessions each to three years of three sessions each, has been in operation; but students, so far, have been confined to the first- and second-year courses, and the curriculum will be in full working in 1904 with students of the first, second, and third year respectively. As anticipated in my last report, this extension of the period of study and training is proving advantageous. More time is now available to follow up the elementary general courses of instruction in the sciences having relation to agriculture by a more detailed study of such branches of these sciences as are of more immediate practical importance. The addition of a resident veterinary surgeon to the staff has enabled us to make the teaching of veterinary science take a more applied and useful form. The veterinary practice which has been worked up offers opportunity for valuable clinical instruction. The cases of disease, ailments, and injuries of farm stock, which farmers in the neighbourhood bring to the College or for which they seek the services of the veterinary surgeon, are just such eases as the students will meet on their farms when they leave the College. On such cases (and the number is much greater than we anticipated would be forthcoming when the practice was initiated) the development of symptoms can be observed, the causes investigated, and the treatment and progress watched with the obvious result that a real live interest is awakened to study the subject, and the information gained is sound and of the highest utility. There is no doubt that a student who has taken the full course here and is of average ability will be enabled from his training and experience to treat intelligently

E.—it

2

the common ailments of stock on his farm and to avoid or guard against loss in various ways to which, without such knowledge, he would have been exposed in the management of his stock when he leaves the College. Indirectly also such students scattered severally in different districts of the colony will be helpful to the Veterinary Department in its efforts to control diseases among stock and reduce mortality. As with veterinary science so with other branches of study. In botany, for example, it will be practicable to bring about a more detailed and practical study of grasses —varieties, purity of samples, treatment, and utility—and of the diseases of field and garden crops. Field-work in this subject is of the highest importance, and more time can now be given to this than could be given in a two-years' course. The difficulties we meet in our endeavour to make this institution fulfil its function can be referred to two categories (a) the low standard of elementary education attained by the majority of the students who enrol; (b) the unsatisfactory attitude to study properly so-called of a number of young men who come up, and, indeed, to work generally. I have pointed out in previous reports that it is desirable that the degree of preliminary education required of candidates for admission should be maintained as low as is compatible with the requirements necessary for the character of the course of study that the sons of the smaller farmers, who may have had only such elementary education as the rural schools offer, may not be excluded. Such youths I have found often work off the handicap with which they start and at the conclusion of their course take a prominent place among their fellows. The difficulty therefore has to be faced, and it would not be serious were it not that the low standard of admission allows of the entrance of youths from the secondary schools or colleges who have neglected their opportunities, and who prove often so lazy and indifferent, that they cannot be allowed to remain in residence, and, being sent back, become an unsettling element and provoke dissatisfaction. In the second category may be placed some of the young men who come up from some sheepstations where they may have been placed as cadets. Very few of such prove good students : too frequently they seem to have acquired habits of indolence and unpunctuality, and have little appreciation of the value of time. When such have to submit to the regulations of the College and have regular hours for work and study mapped out for them, they are taken aback and become impatient of restraint. In due time it will no doubt be known more widely that youths cannot remain in this institution, supported as it is by public endowments, and carelessly fritter away their time, and this difficulty which has beset the authorities here in the past will gradually resolve itself. The case is very different when a youth comes up from a farm : there he will have learned to work, and he knows when he enters the College enough of farm practice to enable him to make the best use of the work at the College. It would be well if every student, before he comes here, if he has not been brought up on a farm, could be persuaded to take at least a year at regular work on a farm, for his course would then assuredly be more profitable to him. lam glad to be able to report an improved tone in the institution all round. The young men in residence as a whole are now more anxious to secure the full advantage of the training : they have accepted the position that work on the farm shall mean work, and I am satisfied that the greater number now in residence are endeavouring to do what they can to qualify themselves well for the management of stock and the practice of farming generally. On the farm they are as diligent and reliable as can be expected of young men of their age, and I am confident that when they leave the College as high a percentage of them as can, in fairness and comparatively to other institutions of the same character be expected, will prove that the technical training they have had here has been of value to them individually and to the colony. During the year thirty-seven students were enrolled, seventeen for the second year's course and twenty for that of the third year. This number is not the full complement of the institution, but it is quite enough for the size of the farm. In this relation it must be borne in mind that a considerable percentage of the students who come here have not been brought up on a farm, and consequently are not familiar with ordinary farm practice or experienced in farm-work. Accordingly they must have practice at the various manual operations and the working of the several implements used on every farm, and, indeed, must have very considerable practice if they aspire as we desire they should do to take the College diploma. In the examination for this diploma practical farm-work and the management of stock rightly holds the most important place, and accordingly on the College farm (800 acres) there is scarcely work enough for that number of students in the course of three years to acquire that skill at the several operations which it is desirable they should acquire. Public Lectures. A series of weekly evening lectures to farmers was given during the winter by the veterinary surgeon on the diseases of horses and their treatment. These lectures were very highly appreciated, as was evidenced by the fact that the average attendance of farmers was somewhat over a hundred, and the lecture-room was crowded to the door regularly. Many young farmers came considerable distances to attend, and followed the course with evident interest. It is proposed to continue these evening popular lectures during the winter and spring of 1904, when the veterinary surgeon will give a course on the diseases of cattle on alternate weeks, and the Director a course on agricultural subjects or topics in the other weeks. The Farm. The live-stock have been maintained at a high standard of quality. A Shorthorn bull was purchased at the dispersal of the McHardy herd at Palmerston ; and a Border Leicester ram from the flock of Mr. John Little of Montserrat, and a Shropshire ram from Mr. Eogers of Tinwald were

E.—ll.

3

purchased for use in the College flocks. Every effort has been made to make the College farm serve the purpose of all-round efficient agricultural training for the students, and it has accordingly been maintained in good heart, well equipped, and managed on such economical lines and business methods as best meet the conditions. As the curriculum had been extended from two to three years there were of course no students completing their course at the end of the year, and diploma examinations were not required. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. William Lowkie, Director. Statement of Beceipts and Bxpenditube for the Year ending 31st December, 1903. General Account. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance, 31st December, 1902 .. .. 172 18 3 Interest on capital—Refund to Messrs. Interest on capital .. .. .. 1,165 0 0 Harrnan and Stevens of interest reBent of reserves and farm cottage .. 1,590 16 4 ceived from Canterbury College on porSales of live-stock— tion of its debt to Canterbury AgriculSheep .. .. .. .. 632 2 4 tural College sold to them .. .. 108 14 3 Cattle .. .. .. .. 228 5 0 Salaries of staff .. .. .. 1,221 5 1 Piga .. .. .- .. 155 6 3 Maintenance of students and staff .. 1,066 15 7 Sales of farm-produce Farm wages (including £250, proportion of Wool .. .. • ■ .. 144 10 11 Director's salary) .. .. .. 943 14 3 Dairy-produce .. .. •. 181 16 9 Purohases of live-stock — Potatoes .. .. .. .. 207 10 6 Sheep .. .. .. .. 383 18 11 Wheat .. .. .. .. 257 13 4 Cattle .. .. .. .. 162 7 6 Oats .. .. .. .. 14 14 8 Horses .. .. .. .. 64 0 0 Students' fees .. .. .. .. 902 18 4 Trade accounts, inoluding horse - feed, Maintenance of students and staff, includ- saddlery and repairs, freight, saoks, ing refunds for board of Director and binder-twine, woolpacks, chaff - cutting, Farm Overseer, and sale of kitchen fat.. 132 17 11 hardware, &o. .. .. .. 266 14 3 Trade accounts —including dipping sheep, Manures .. .. .. .. 132 7 5 sale of poultry and eggs, rail freights re- Seeds .. .. .. .. 131 6 3 funded, and sale of sacks .. .. 42 2 3 Implements .. .. .. .. 189 18 5 Sale of books to students .. .. 21 6 4 Laboratories—Chemicals, apparatus, veteLaboratories —Refunds for apparatus .. 7 13 8 rinary drugs and instruments .. .. 149 0 0 Contingencies (farm) —Prizes at shows .. 6 10 0 Orchard, grounds, and plantations—-La-Orchard, grounds, and plantations—Sale bour, &c. .. .. .. .. 101 8 9 of fruit, firewood, &c. .. .. 3 2 0 Contingencies (College), including sundry Permanent improvements—Sale of stan- expenses of Director, accountant, and „ dards .. .. .. . • 212 4 housekeeper, rent of mail bag, repairs, Buildings (College) — Refunds for damages 17 6 expenses in connection with closing of Stationery, stamps, and telegrams, ex- College year .. .. .. .. 90 11 11 change allowed on cheques, refunds for Scholarships .. .. .. .. 94 8 4 cablegrams, use of telephone, &c .. 2 4 6 Buildings (College), repairs .. .. 75 16 8 Implements—Discount allowed .. .. 16 0 Rates .. .. .. .. 65 5 2 Workshops material —Box sold .. .. 0 4 0 Insurance (College)— Buildings and guarantee .. .. .. .. 43 0 9 Insurance (farm) — Buildings, maohinery, employers' liability .. .. .. 35 12 10 Contingencies (farm), including expenses in connection with shows and sales, subscriptions, veterinary medicines, &c. 42 11 1 Farm fuel .. .. .. .. 13 3 8 Permanent improvements—Materials and labour .. .. .. ~ 34 12 2 Stationery, stamps, telegrams, telephone.. 48 13 9 Library—Books and periodicals .. .. 22 12 5 Students'fees —Fees refunded .. .. 20 0 0 Students'books .. .. .. 12 13 0 Students' travelling-expenses .. .. 25 11 0 Travelling-expenses—Members of Board of Governors .. .. .. .. 32 1 6 Legal expenses .. .. .. 11 11 8 Printing and advertising .. .. 21 12 6 Workshops, manual training, tools, fees, and materials .. .. .. 47 6 4 Workshops wages, blacksmith .. .. 10 8 0 Contributions to churches .. ~ 10 0 0 Examination expenses—Examiners' fees 10 10 0 Prizes and certificates .. .. .. 9 18 3 Workshops materials and tools .. .. 13 2 5 Apiary—Bee-keeper's sundries .. .. 4 17 7 Repairs to farm-gates, fences, and buildings 3 12 0 Experimental work, labour .. .. 1 18 0 Balance 31st December, 1903 .. .. 151 12 (j £5,874 14 2 £5,874 14 2

4

B.—ll

Capital Account. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. & s. d. Balance, Ist January, 1903 .. .. 20,587 15 8 Balanoe, 31st December, 1903 .. .. 20,587 15 8 Mortgage of Fbeehold Account. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balanoe, 31st Deoember, 1903 .. .. 20,000 0 0 Loan on security of 6,001 acres .. .. .30,000 0 t Statement of Balances. 'Or Accounts. £ s. d. [ Or. Bank and Investment. £ s. d Capital Ao'oount .. .. .. 20,587 15 8 Drawing Account ..£1,310 i 7 General Account .. .. .. 151 12 6 Less outstanding oheques 570 16 5 Mortgage of freehold .. •■ 20,000 0 0 £20,739 TH £20,739 8 2 William Lowkie, Director. Examined and found correct.— J. K. Warbueton, Controller and Auditor-General.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given ; printing (1,605 copies], £,% 18s. 6d,

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9o4.

Price 3d.]