"Go and Learn a Trade."

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4545, 18 November 1884, Page 2

"Go and Learn a Trade."

MrM. Murphy, Secretary to the Cantorbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association, who has rendered .many important services to the cause of agriculture, lately extended the scope of his usefulness by reading a most suggestive paper before tho North Canterbury Educational Institute. The general community of this colony has much need of having the lesson impressed upon them which Mr Murphy in this paper set himself to teach, viz., the imiwrtanco of placing boys at some useful trade, or better still,of making them farmers: A large proportion of young men aro being brought up in this pioneer community aa if they were to take part in the complex pursuits of old settled countries*. The number of clerks, teachers, and lawyers among the rising generation is out of all proportion to probable requirements. Mr Murphy proposes to send these "half-educated " youths to the country, train them in the science of cultivating the soil, and so fit them for becoming agents in increasing the wealth of the colony, instead of condemning them to be practically useless superfluities and nonproductive units in. the community. He says that "reading.about rural affairs, such as ploughing, sowing, and reaping, the natural history of farm animals, and the general work of the various seasons imparts in the youthful and plastic mind a knowledge of-^and not unfrequently, a taste for —such things." This we consider a eotiud proposition, and it constitutes a strong plea for agriculture forming part of the -public school curriculum, and of agricultural subjects being dealt with in periodical literature for family reading. It is ah unfortunate result of the higher irate of wages and improved' standard of living ruling here in comparison with the old country that a large number of working people put their sons and_ daughters to "Ken-eel" occupations, and teach them to despise manual labour. No greater mistake was ever made, and tha consequences are seen ir. the overcrowding "of thoso so-called "genteel" spheres of employment and the reduction of salaries. It is timo that hero, as" in America, the voices of the poets and reformers should be raised preaching, the gospel of Labour, and inculcating thedutyof contributing to the general wealth. We behold our cities crowded with sickly and degenerate-looking youths, sucking a cane or a.cigar, while _road acres of virgin soil are calling for the improving hand of man to make them yield their riches, and at the same time make.. the workers healthy, robust, and happy. When such a distinctly agricultural community as that of .Canterbury requires the admonitions of llr Murphy, it may be readily understood there is much more need for the advice to the people in this part of the colony, to train thei^you'th to country pursuits.. Canterbury has asplendfd Agricultural College, and Auckland has none as yet,, though Sir George Grey' and others have mode praiseworthy effortsto impress uponi Government the urgent need that exists for such an institution. We. trust that the ball which Mr Murphy has set a-rolling'by his wellconsidered paper will be vigorously kicked in the northern part of the colony during the Parliamentary recess, and that when pur member's again go down to Wellington they will go pledged to obtain for Auckland a School of Agriculture, with instructors qualified to impart knowledge regarding all the special kinds of farming which can be pursued with such advantage in this province.