TRAINING GARDENERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1926, Page 6

TRAINING GARDENERS.

AMBITIOUS PROPOSAL. DIPLOMA COURSE SUGGESTED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN", this day. At the Horticultural Institute Conference, which lias now concluded, a discussion took place on the great necessity of providing education in horticulture in New Zealand. Mr Tannock said it was siiggested that a miniature Kew be established here, and that, after five years' training, young fellows could become student gardeners and go through an intensive course. Another suggestion was that young men could be received from secondary or technical schools and put to practicaf work for half-time and theoretical work for the remaining half-time. Tho man who professsed to bo> a gardener, mid wlio '.vas not satisfactory from a practical point of view, was a humbug. No amount of scientific training would make a man a gardener unless lie had practical knowledge. The suggestion was that the Institute should recommend for a diploma course, not a degree course. A five years' garden course could be established in each of the four centres, and the assistance of the Government and the University obtained. The president (Mr. Nathan) said that, under present Labour laws, no apprentice clause could be brought into the award. While the dairying industry was worth £20,000.000 a year to the country, the Government had done practically nothing in providing education for it. Training in horticulture was also absolutely necessary. Perhaps they could go hand-in-hand with the agriculture people and made a request. Perhaps if they approached tho now Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Hawken) they woiiW get further in the matter. He thought it should be a recommendation to the executive to make representations to the Minister of Agriculture to see if some steps could be taken in the direction indicated.