TEACHING AGRICULTURE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13612, 22 December 1909, Page 4

TEACHING AGRICULTURE.

DISCISSION IN THE HOUSE

(special to "tiie tress.") WELLINGTON, December 21. The Agricultural Committee to-day made a recommendation to the House in favour of the establishment of agricultural colleges in the Dominion. The Hon. Li. Fowlds said he would like to see the tuition at the Agricultural College at Lincoln given to teachers who would go into the schools and impart the necessary instruction to the children. Mr Masse.- said we were not getting sufficient return from the largo sum of money spent on agricultural instruction, but he admitted that Ruakura w.is the best of the experimental farms fiom the point of view of "best value for money." There was no question that Lincoln College was far superior. He believed this country could get better results for less expenditure if it amended its procedure. At present New Zealand was a long way behind, otter countries—even behind Ireland. The Minister for Education said Mr Alexander, principal of Lincoln College, had state -.Jiat New Zealand was ahead so far as the schools were concrned. Mr Massey replied that could not tie said about the experimental farms. Not enough was being don© in this country in the way of imparting scientific knowledge to tho people. A scientlhc commission should be set up to take evidence trom men who had studied scientific ajirimilturo There were several in New Zealand who had done so both here and abroad. Mr G. W. Russell said that the Lincoln institution was not a school; it was a college, and it had never received assistance from the Government. Hj suggested that the Minister should put himself in communication with tho Board of tho College, with a view to assisting its revenue, so that it might bj able to benefit a great many more jif.oplo than it was benefiting at prest nt. Mr C. A. C. Hardy agreed with the latter idea, which he said had been under discussion by the North Canterbury Education Board for the past twelve months. Ho thought there should bo established classes for the trniring of teachers. Mr Witty said he hoped the training colleges in the North Island, if they were established, would bo on much broader linen than the College at Lincoln. The latter was too close a corporation ; the sons of poor farmers cculd not get to it. The- Hon. Thos. McKenzie said what was wanted was a place where there would be practical training in farming, combined with some scientific training. He thought we should send some of our agricultural teachers to the great agricultural schools of the world.