AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 206, 31 August 1926, Page 9

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NO GOVERNMENT DOMINANCE. AUCKLAND'S STROM G PROTEST. PROVISIONS OF THE BILL. "I should never consider the pooling of our interests under these conditions. ' but would withdraw altogether if the Government were going to insist on run- ! ning the Agricultural College themselves," { urged Professor F. P. Worley at a special i meeting he.d by the Auckland University j College Council last evening; to consider i the attitude of the council towards the | new University Bill. j "The Government's proposals are quite [contrary to the policy of all institutions ! that require specialists to run them," j continued the professor. "There must jbe independence of the Government. Representatives of tbe Government are desirable on the controlling body to keei I the Government in close touch with the i institution, but dominance by the Government in ruination." The Hon. Geo. Fowlels (pre?ident): The Government has set aside the two colleges altogether and pu; them i"to a minority on the governing body of the new Agricultural College. i Mr. Kenneth Mackenzie: There is no reason whatever why the Government's 'representation should be: greater than that of the college's. ! Mr. T. U. Wells: We may have to con- ' sider our whole position again.- I should be prepared to go as fur as that. > Mr. A. Burns: The Prime Minister has made a veiled threat that any disagree- j ment will endanger the scheme. ' I Mr. G. H. Wilson: I don't think we! can .be too .firm. Professor Worlev said that provision | was made in the Heath report for setting up institutions on dairying that allowed for representation of the farm ing community. Special care was bein'Z i taken of the applied part of agricu'tural., '■ education. It was quite wrong for the j Government to try to get representation lon the academic side as well as the | applied side. ! Dr. C. H. Ranston: It is argued that j agriculture is very important in New ; I Zealand: but I. think we should stand firm.. The Government is acting in this way in regard to all phases of education. | Adjunct of Department. The Hon. Geo. Fowlds explained fully j the proposals relating to the constitution of the Agricultural College Council. He said that, in co-operation with representatives of Victoria College, he Had ! interviewed the Prime. Minister and j other Ministers and had agreed that the j I number of representatives of agricultural' j interests on the new council might be i increased to three. There was a strong disposition by the Government to makeS ' the new college a kind of adjunct of the I 'Agricultural Department. The under-1 j standing arrived at was that the council I 'should consist of ' three members; | appointed by the Government, one by the j Board' of Agriculture and two each by the Victoria College Council and the Auckland University College Council, the head of the agricultural college to be a full member of the council. The bill now before: Parliament .re- j vealed at drastic departure from that I basis of "representation. It provided for I five Government members and four from the two college councils. The head of the college was empowered to attend the, i meetings and speak, but not to vote- I "We are not committed to agree to anything- of this kind," continued Mr. Fowlds. "The Government's attitude is a mistake from the pojnt of view of the new college and is grossly unfair to the two colleges, which set aside local jnter-; csts and prejudices to make the estab- . lishment of this college a possibility. It is a very poor reward for. the Governj ment to attempt now to force, this agree- ; ment upon us.." j The Necessary Link. [ I Mr, Fowlds denied that any Govern-' ment was capable of making the wisest I selection, but, even if it could, that gave j no assurance that the selections of future | overnment-s would he the. best, and it. | must be remembered that the college [ would go on indefinitely. The only way to connect the agricultural college with the University of New Zealand was, through the two university colleges, j Those colleges should, then, be in a position to make their management effective. If the college was not linked up with the University of New Zealand tlirough its governing body, the connection would have to. be made by indirect means, and that would give rise to- a difficult position. The councils in Auckland and Wellington wished to do nothing that would prevent the passing of the bill, but the Victoria College Council was standing firm with Auckland in any action proposed. . j "I suggest the influence of the Department of Agriculture has made itself manifest in the constitution of the council and we have to look to the i Prime Minister to give us a fair deal in 'the matter," concluded Mr. Fowlds- ' Mr. Fowlds moved' the following resolution, which was carried unanimously: i "That this council unanimously and ' strongly protests against the proposal of ! the Government in the Agricultural College Bill to swamp the governing council with five representatives from outside of the two colleges, which have agreed to set aside local interests in order to secure economical and efficient agricultural education." The meeting decided to send copies of the resolution to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education. The president and Mr. G. H. Wilson were appointed a committee to go to Wellington to-morrow evening as a deputation from the council. i I

SPEEDING UP BUSINESS. I: . SLIP IN THE PROGRAMME. FINANCE TAKES PRECEDENCE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Monday. Members of the Opposition parties went into the House of Representatives to-night prepared with notes on Imperial questions, but they saw that the Government intended to proceed with the Finance Bill. As a matter of fact, the Prime Minister, who would have openeel the elebate on Imperial topics, was being farewelied by the Legislative Council. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition,- reminded the Acting-Leader or the House, the Hon. Downie Stewart, that the Premier had made a definite fixture for Imperial affairs discussion, anil neither he nor the Nationalist leader bad been informed of the change in the arrangements. They were uot prepared to e!isc;iss the Finance Bill. 'Mr. Lownie Stewart replies '. that he was not present when the Premier made iiis promise, nor was the senior Government whip in the House, while the ji.n.or wh.p was unaware oi the arrangement. He coultl assure members that the Finance Bill was simply a technical washing-up measure. It would be followeel by the Rent Resti Ltiori Bi.l. which.must be passed, or tiiis legislation , would run 'cut. I Prohibition of Wight Baking. 1 Some t.me ago a deputation of working bakers waited on the .Viinister of ..Labour wi v h a req-:e->t to give effect to the prohibition of night halving. In the House to-night Mr. P. Eraser (Wellington Central) reminded the Hon. G. J. Anderson that he had promised to con- ! s.der. the request, und, if possible, to bring down legislation this session. Replying, Mr. Anderson said legislation would not be brought down this i ession. It was a most contentious matter. After the bakers had been to see him, he had received a deputation of employers, and he realised that it was | a delicate matter. It would be neces--1 sary to bring the measure before the J Local Bids Committee, and he could not I see his way to introduce the bill now. The matter would be carefully looked into during the re; ess. Workers' Compensation. The Labour Bills Lonnnittec of the ! House of Representatives had reported on the Government's measure increasing ' the rcale of workers' compensation for accidents, recommending that it pro- ' ccoel without amendment. County Subsidies. ' The member for Wallace (Mr. A. j Hamilton) has asked the' Al'mister of Internal Affairs to take immediate steps ito give effect to the resolution of the Counties' Conference; which bad affirmed the principle of' a Government subsidy of 5/ in the £ on all rates, and that it be based uniformly on the who;e of the j rates collected.----j " "'"' Out of Place. It was merely the coincidence that he was called on by Mr. Speaker, when he , was conferring with the Leader of the | Opposition, wnieh resulted in Mr. W. S. . Glenn (Rangitikci), the junior Government whip, putting a question to a Minister irom the vantage point of the front .Opposition benches. Legislators smiled'as they thought of this member's j. paSsage-at-arms with the Prime Minisjter last week, and Mr. Glenn showed that he saw the joke, too. Validating Timber Licenses. The Forest Amendment Bill was introduced by : Governor's Message in tho ! House to-day, the Hon. 0. J. Hawken ; explaining that it was mainly to validate milling licenses granted by wardens over a long period, which a Supreme Court action had shown to be invalid. Answering Mr. H. E. Holland, he saiel that there was no intention to interfere with county councils' royalty revenue. Another clause empowered the imposij tion of a penalty equal to double the value of timber milled by licensees from areas outside their license. The forest reserves of Westland, Grey and Nelson, and the Grey and Buller coal mine reserves were placed under the control of the State Forest Department. Replying to Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon, a i promise was given by the Premier that an opportunity would be given to sawmillers and others interested to givo evidence regarding tbe bill before the Lands' Committc on Wednesday. | Dental Registrations. An amendment to the Dentists Act, introduced by Governor's Message, seeks to carry out the recommendation of the royal commission that 57 men indicated bo permitted to sit fur examination witi) a view to registration, if successful. Main Highways. The Main Highways Amendment Bill contains a clause empowering the Highways Boanl to lend money to local bodies to complete sections of roads, and empowering the subsidising of certain works undertaken by the Wellington City' Council. A Correction —Terms of Loans. In the Press Association report of the Select Committee proceedings, which considered the Royal Commission's recommendations on Rural Credits, it was mentioned that the committee recommended the shortening of a loan period | where the owner's interest does not exceed 50 per cent of its value. The I correct statement of the committee's recommendation is that in cases where an owner's interest exceeds 50 per cent of its value the term of the loan should be? for a substantially shorter period. Hauraki Plains Bill. The Hauraki Plains Bill, a consolidating and amending measure making provision for more effective drainage of the district, was put through all stages anil passed without discussion in the House; this evening. Alleged Wrongful Dismissal. Pleading that he was wrongfully dis-' missed from the position of farm manager of Waikeria Reformatory, owing to an allegedly untrue statement and without being given an opportunity of stating the true facts, Edward Samuel Watson, of Wharepuhunga, has petitioned Parliament to have his case considered ')y a select commjittee of the House. He states in the petition that he considers he was treated in the manner described because he did not agree with the superintendent in regard to the stock of the State Farm and his own farm.