PHENOMENAL GROWTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 246, 17 October 1929, Page 26

PHENOMENAL GROWTH.

MASSEY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. PROBLEM OF ACCOMMODATION PERIOD OF SERIOUS CONGESTION. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Summarising the position after 19 months' operations at the Massey Memorial Agricultural College, the principal, Professor G. S. Peren, states in his annual report, tabled in the House of Representatives to-day, that sufficient temporary accommodation has been arranged to iheet the needs of administration, teaching and research for past and present academic years. The staff was a well balanced one, and was fully capable of giving first-class instruction in important sciences and all applied subjects appertaining to the raiting of crops and stock. Without adequate permanent accommodation the various branches of work could not expand, and under those conditions there was a damaging blank in the- life of the college. While that state of affairs might be unavoidable up to a point, the principal hoped it would tiot continue too long. The early years were of vital importance from the point-of view of reputation, and the prospect of not getting the accommodation required in time for March, 1931, as had recently been suggested, was very worrying. A Year of Progress. The past year had been a period of very considerable development. The college had now emerged from a state of hurried improvisation, which characterised the earlier months of its life, and the machinery of its organisation was now running with comparative smoothness. It was plain, however, that the rate of development, more particularly of research work and the proper establishment of student life, would receive a check in the near future owing to Jack of accommodation. A period of serious congestion, imposing limitations in various directions, was certain to occur before the main science building and hostel could be erected. The college had grown at a phenomenal rate, and provision of suitable accommodation had seriously lagged behind otherwise excellent progress. Enrolment of students had far exceeded expectations, the total number being 85, which taxed available accommodation to its fullest extent. The year saw considerable expansion in the programme of research relating to dairying, pig farming, wool, flax, and topdressing of pastures. Development of the farm had progressed steadily. The total area under crops was 110 acre?, and the following stock were wintered: 129 dairy cattle, 80 bullocks, 1191 sheep, 25 pigs, and seven horses.