CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7214, 27 November 1888, Page 6

CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

A meetJngof the Board of Governors was heldyesterdayat 3p.m. Present—Mr H. B. Webb (in the chair), the Primate, CapU Garsia, Hon. J. T. Peacock, Messrs Westenra, Spackman, Rose, L. Harper, T. W. Maude, J. Colborne-VeeL Neave, Fereday, and W. C. Walker. The following report was read from the Committee of the School of Agriculture:— *' The Committee, after hearing the Director's opinion on the subject, recommend that during shearing and harvest he be authorised to pay students, wages not exceeding 25 per cent, less than current contract rates. Mr W. C. Walker complained of the short notice given of the meetings of Committees, which prevented conn try members attending. He should have liked to have been present at the meeting of the Committee, bat it was only on his return home on Wednesday that he got his circular calling the meeting for Wednesday. The Chairman said that the circulars had been posted on Monday night. He would see that in future as long notice was given as possible to the members. The Chairman moved the adoption of the report. Mr Ross seconded the motion. Hon. J. T. Peacock was sorry thathe could not be present on the occasion of the Committee meeting to have heard the reasons adduced by the Director. He (Mr Peacock) was opposed to the payment of the pupils, and would rather see the fees reduced so as to increase the number of pupils. They must recollect that they were doing a colonial work, and educating the youth of the colony in farming pursuits. On principle, he objected to paying these young people; who were also being educated. Mr Spaceman fully agreed with Mr Peacock. He said the matter had been fully considered in Committee, and they had come to a resolution that after the end of the year all payments to pupils must cease. He should vote against the report. Mr Westenra said that at the meeting of the Committee, at which the report was adopted, he had taken up the position that the pupils should not be paid. But the Director took up this position, that if they did not pay the pupils, they would have to pay outside labor. He (Mr Westenra) quite agreed with what Mr Peacock had said, and fully endorsed his opinion as to the redaction of the fees. But he (Mr Westenra) should decline to consider the matter now, as a petition which had been sent in to the Board by the students was not such as should be sent in. For this reason he should move, {is an amendment —" That the consideration of the matter be adjourned." Mr X Harper said what the Director had stated was. that during the season of harvesting and shearing now comma; on the pupils should be paid for their work, or that the Director would have to employ labor. The boys were quite able to do the work as well as any men, and should be paid for it. The Director had also said that not only would the boys if they were not paid do things which the Director had expressly forbidden, but that they would take out bolts, &c, from the machinery. When they did this they were entirely out of controL For these reasons the Committee agreed with the Director to pay the pupils during the approaching season. Mr Neave said it seemed to him from what Mr Harper had said that the boys would not work unless they had sops given to them; that there was no discipline amongst them. He objected to the payment altogether. If they wanted to do anything they should reduce the fees. He would second Mr Westenra's amendment. : Mr Ross said that he could not for one moment see that boys who were receiving their education could compete with ablebodied men. Mr Fereday would oppose the payment. The Chairman asked the Board to pass the report as brought down by the Committee for the season now approaching, as he felt, with the Director, that it would cost them more if they did not pay the boys. He was quite in accord with the remarks of the other members who had spoken, but the matter was a pressing one, and the Director had spoken very strongly on the subject. The matter would not form a precedent, as the resolution passed would come into force at the end of the year. Mr L. Harper said that the Director had stated most positively that there were some boys who could shear as well as any man. They could hardly expect that young men at an Agricultural College would go in for shearing as hard as a regular man when there was no remuneration attached to it. Hon. J. T. Peacock said, as regarded shearing, there were only some 1200 sheep at the College, and lif the nineteen pupils took up the shearing they would only have to shear some 180 sheep in three years. Mr L. Harper pointed out that many of the boys at the College came there expert shearers, and only intended to study the higher branches. Mr Fereday could not agree with the postponement. They might as well decide the matter at once. Mr Ross thought it would be as well to accept the recommendation of the Committee for this year only. The Board, it appeared to him, was agreed that in the future there would be a radical change in the matter. After some farther discussion Mr Westenra withdrew the amendment. Mr Ross moved, as- a further amend--toent—"That the words 'this harvesting and shearing season only' be inserted after the word 'during.'" Mr Westenra seconded the amendment, which was carried. Mr Nbave moved—"That the words •twenty-five per cent.'be struck out, and •fifty per cent. , inserted in lieu thereof." After some discussion this amendment was withdrawn. The motion as amended was then put and carried by seven to six. The following was the voting—Ayes—Messrs Westenra, Harper, Maude, YeeLWebb, Ross, Captain Garsia. Noes—TbePrimate, Hon. J. T. Peacock, Messrs Fereday, Spackman, Neave, Walker. The Board then adjourned until Thursday, 20th December.