AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 160, 8 July 1922, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

PROPOSED FARM SCHOOL. MOVE TO MARK USE OF RUAKOIi A conference of persons interested i the establishment of institutions in th Auckland province for the educatior both practical and scientific, of farmer was held at the Show yesterday, whe: there was a fairly larjre attendance. Til conference was opened by a lecture b Professor P. W. Uurbidce. "Although ou country is almost wholly an agriculture country, essentially an agricultural coun try," he said, "we do not train our mci in agriculture." He pointed out that $•> per cent of all our imports came fron money obtained by the sale of produce and that the ereat majority of our nro blems were such as would yield to edu cation and research work in agriculture yet all our education was designed fo the education of lawyers, doctors, en pincers and other professional callings Agricultural education would benefit th< country because it would increase thi number of farmers in the first plicc and in the next it would increase th' production per farmer. Despite tin obvious need for such increased prodnc tion. there was only one small agricul tural college in the country, and the bee brains were devoted to the professions Auckland had problems peculiar to tin province on account of its sub-tropiea climate, and also that the climate nvidi it the jumping-'ofT ground for pc-its fron abroad. For those reasons it seemet obvious that a separate agricultural col lec:e should be established here. He men tioned that a bequest by the late Sii John Logan Campbell for the establish ment of a chair of asrriculture at th< Auckland University College would eventually become available for the object they urped. but considered that the people concerned should themselves move tc have something done at the present time. A CHAXCE AT RUAKURA. The chairman. Mr. J. P. Kalaugiier, stated that the two questions to be considered were the establishment of a farm school, or college, at Ruakura, and the establishment of a chair of agriculture, at the university. At the moment there was an exceptional opportunity of establishing a farm school at Ruakura. where there was accommodation for 00 students. The Education Board had circularised local bodies and public men on the.subject and Iml received freneral sympathy on the subject. He felt that the time had arrived for takinc practical, steps to accomplish the object. After a number of spe-ikers had supported the proposal a motio.. wns carried that a committee be appointed to forward the scheme, and a committee was appointed as follows: The Hon. G. Fowlds. Messrs. F. C. Rollett, E. D. McLennan R P. Connell, J. P. Kalaiißher. T. 11. Paterson, 0. R. SnraffK, A. W. Green. S. Hill. E. Clifton. W. Gnodfellow. C. Motion. V. R. Callajrhan. G. Wilson, Professors Rurbidjre and Johnson, the presidents of the -Agricultural and Pastoral Associations of the Auckland district, the president of the Industrial Association, and the president of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Kalauprher was appointed convener, and authorised to frame the proposals.