EDUCATION: CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. "THE CANTERBURY COLLEGE AND CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE ACT, 1896.") [In continuation of E.-11, 1905.]

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1906 Session II, E-11

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Session 11. 1906. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. "THE CANTERBURY COLLEGE AND CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE ACT, 1896.") [In continuation of E.-11, 1905.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Visitor. —His Excellency the Governor. Board of Governors. Appointed by His Excellency the Governor —E. Richardson. Elected by members of the Legislature—Hon. E. C. J. Stevens (Chairman) ; M. Murphy, F.L.S. ; and H. A. Knight. Eleoted by governing bodies of agricultural and pastoral associations—W. F. M. Buckley, 8.A.; George Gould ; and J. Studholme. Staff. Director. —VV. Lowrie, M.A., B.Sc Lecturer on Veterinary Science. —W. J. Golebatch, B.Sc. (Agriculture), M.U.C.V.S. Lecturer on Chemistry. —G. Gray, F.G.S. Lecturer on Biology.— F. W. Hilgendorf, M.A., D.Sc. Instructor in Woodwork. —F. W. Sundford

EBPOET OF THE DIEBOTOE. Sir,— I have the honour to submit the annual report of this institution for the year 1905. Fifty-one resident students and two non-resident were enrolled. As this number was in excess of the accommodation, alterations in the building had to be made to meet the increase, and additional studies and bedrooms have been provided. There is now accommodation for fifty-two students, and several applications in excess -of this number have been received. As the College farm —785 acres —barely offers adequate facilities for practical work for the students now in residence,-any increase of accommodation while the area of land attached remains the same would certainly discount the value of the training in direct proportion to the increase. Unless field-work be made a very important feature at an agricultural college there is iictle justification for such college, as instruction in science and laboratory practice can be bad at technical schools or at a university college. But as agriculture is an art and a business primarily and essentially, it is indispensable that the farm attached to an agricultural college be sufficiently extensive, not only

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to allow of the demonstration or application of the lessons and principles taught in the lecture-room or laboratory, but also to provide opportunity to the students to acquire or extend their practical knowledge, and to offer in sufficient variety and amount financial transactions to enable them to reckon up the condition of the business and to gain a useful insight into the relative economic position of the various branches of farm-work included in the general designation " mixed farming." From what I know of the attitude of parents who send sons here, and the great importance they attach to sound practical work, I am satisfied that any extension of the accommodation, without corresponding increase of the area of the farm, would provoke dissatisfaction, which, I believe, would be justified. At present, when land-values are inflated, the time is not opportune for the extension of the College farm, and it is well, further, for the Board of Governors to ascertain whether the increase in the number of applications to enter the College is likely to be maintained before proceeding to make provision for it. The work and general attitude of the students during the year has been satisfactory. We have had less of the school-boy element, as the average age has been between nineteen and twenty, and the place has been full of young men who on the whole have proved better students of farming than any of the classes we have enrolled since I took office here. The greatest drawback attaching to our work and lessening its efficiency which we meet is the low standard of elementary education of many of the students who come up to the College. A few come thoroughly prepared, to proceed to the course of instruction which the Board of Governors has organized, but many have had deficient elementary education. Again, a proportion of the students have been engaged on farms or stations for some time before joining the College, while others have been following business pursuits which they have left in order to prepare themselves to go on the land. It may have been a year or several years since they left school or college, and accordingly our classes are very uneven in standard of attainment. This difficulty could, of course, be remedied by requiring candidates for admission to pass an entrance examination ; but were this course adopted a number of youths whose education is weak through lack of opportunity would be excluded. Not infrequently a student who comes up from working on his father's farm, very badly prepared to enter the College, nevertheless towards the end of his course, takes a leading place among his fellows. A middle course is therefore adopted, and the opportunity the candidate has had is considered in relation to the degree of his attainments. Only a proportion of the students who enter the College complete the full course of three years. Some have no intention of completing the course when they come, but enter only for one year, or for part of the course, and for such time as they can be spared from the farm ; others become impatient to be at work on their own account; and others again have to leave in accordance with the regulation of the Board of Governors to the effect that, if the report of a student at the end of a session be unsatisfactory, he will be required to cease residence. Last year eight students completed the course of study and entered for the diploma examinations. Of these, three failed to satisfy the examiners, and the following five were awarded the diploma of the College : A. W. J. Abbot, of Auckland; J. Brown, of Oxford; J. C. Colebatch, of South Australia; C. G. Dixon, of Waikato ; L. J. G. Hamilton, of Taupo. The College farm is being maintained in high order. The abnormally wet year interfered considerably with the cropping results, it being quite impracticable to get on much of the land in good time for seeding ; but the lighter parts of the farm yielded well, and the financial returns on the whole were very satisfactory. The live-stock is being gradually improved in quality. From the Shorthorn herd we were able to win the " points" prize for Shorthorns at the Christchurch Metropolitan Show, and the milkrecords are year by year improving. The purebred flocks are also being improved, and in quality and variety the live-stock on the farm is far ahead of that of any other college in Australasia. I have, &c, William Loweib, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. Director.

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Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditube for the Year ending 31st December, 1905. Gbnbeal Account. Receipts. & s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance, 31st December, 1904 .. .. 813 0 4 Interest on oapital—Refund to Messrs. Interest on oapital .. .. .. 630 0 0 Harman and Stevens of interest reBents of reserves .. .. .. 936 11 2 eeived from Canterbury College on porSales of farm-produce— tion of its debt to Canterbury AgriculWool .. .. • • .. 119 17 9 tural College sold to them .. .. 51 4 2 Dairy-produce .. .. .. 187 19 10 Salaries of staff .. .. .. 1, 406 1 7 Wheat .. .. .. .. 127 12 10 Maintenance of students and staff .. 1,537 17 8 Oats, &c. .. .. .. .. H7 13 10 Farm wages (including £250, proportion of Potatoes .. .. .. .. 179 0 6 Director's salary) .. .. .. 725 8 0 Sales of live-stock — Purchases of live-stock— Sheep .. .. .. .. 735 10 3 Sheep .. .. .. .. 61 15 0 Cattle .. .. .. .. 259 15 10 Pigs .. .. .. .. 18 0 0 Pigs .. .. .. .. 244 8 8 Horses .. .. .. .. 63 16 0 Students'fees .. .. .. .. 1,435 810 Cattle .. .. .. .. 47 5 0 Maintenance of students and staff (inolud- Trade accounts (including saddlery and ing refunds for board of farm employees repairs, freights, sacks, bran, linseed and and sale of kitchen fat) .. .. 27 0 0 pea meal, binder-twine, woolpacks, hardTrade accounts —Sales of sacks, poultry, and ware, chaff-cutting, &o.) .. .. 297 10 8 eggs, and refunds for railage, &o. .. 56 9 2 Manures .. .. .. .. 138 5 i Sale of books to students .. .. 49 19 1 Seeds .. .. .. .. 107 10 1 Laboratories —Eefunds for veterinary drugs 72 0 6 Implements—Purchases and repairs .. 177 15 10 Contingencies (farm) — Prize-money at Laboratories—Chemicals, apparatus, veteshows, less entry fees .. .. 7 9 0 rinary drugs and instruments .. .. 84 2 8 Stationery—Stamps, telephone, telegrams, Contingencies (College)— Sundry expenses exchange on cheques .. .. .. 0 18 8 of Director and staff, farmers' luncheon, Contingencies (College) —Eefund of ad- repairs to buggy, inspection of reserves, vances to students .. .. .. 14 17 3 advances to students, &c. .. .. 166 3 7 Students' travelling-expenses—Refund of Orchard, grounds, and plantations .. 21 19 2 allowance .. .. .. .. 3 2 Scholarships .. .. .. .. 80 0 0 Board travelling-expenses—Refund of al- Buildings, repairs .. .. .. 41 13 0 lowance .. .. .. 10 0 Bates—Road Board, water-race, and sheep 66 14 3 Insurance (farm) —Rebate on premium .. 2 18 Insurance, College buildings, and account-Egg-laying competition—Sale of eggs .. 107 7 0 ant's guarantee .. .. .. 42 4 3 Insurance, farm buildings, maohinery, and employers' liability .. .. .. 42 18 2 Contingencies (farm) —Expenses in conneotion with shows, sales, subscriptions, &o. 25 13 11 Farm fuel .. .. .. .. 12 7 0 Permanent improvements, labour, material 77 5 6 Stationery, stamps, telephone, rent and charges, telegrams, mail-bag, &o. .. 49 8 11 Library—Books and periodicals .. .. 21 0 5 Students' books —Purchase of books and instruments .. .. .. .. 37 4 4 Students' travelling-expenses .. .. 55 15 0 Travelling-expenses of Board of Governors 24 10 0 Printing and advertising .. .. 16 17 6 Workshops (manual training)—lnstructor's fees .. .. .. .. .. 49 7 0 Workshops wages —Blacksmith .. .. 9 6 0 Contributions to churches .. .. 10 0 0 Examination expenses—Examiners' fees . 21 0 0 Prizes and certificates .. .. .. 9 8 9 Workshops (material and tools) .. .. 23 8 4 Saddlery lessons—lnstructor's fees .. 31 1 4 Egg-laying competition .. .. 61 10 8 Balance, 31st December, 1905 .. .. 441 6 3 £6,154 15 4 ■ £6,154 15 4 Capital Account. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance, Ist January, 1905 .. .. 21,887 15 8 Paid over to Harman and Stevens, fourth part-payment of debt of Canterbury College to Canterbury Agricultural College, part of which was sold to them .. 1,300 0 0 Balance, 31st December, 1905 .. .. 20,587 15 8 £21,887 15 8 £21,887 15 8

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Mortgage of Fbeehold Account. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance, 31st December, 1905 .. .. 20,000 0 0 Loan on security of 6,001 acres .. .. 20,000 0 0 Statement of Balances. Cr. Accounts. £ s. d. ; Cr. Bank and Investment. £ s. d. Capital Account .. .. .. 20,587 15 8 I Drawing Account ~£1,217 13 7 General Account .. .. .. 441 6 3 Less outstanding oheques 188 11 8 1,029 1 11 Mortgage on freehold .. .. 20,000 0 0 £21,029 1 11 I £21,029 1 II William Loweie, Director. Examined and found correct. — J. W. Poynton, Deputy-Controller and Auditor. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,600 copies), £3 3s. 6d.

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9o6.

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