THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, LINCOLN.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13613, 23 December 1909, Page 8

THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, LINCOLN.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir, —Reverting to the speech of the chairman of the Board of Governors at Lincoln College yesterday, and to your leading article in to-day's issue of "The Press" thereon, will you insert this letter in the interests of the college and the people who it was instituted to benefit. I do not read "Hansard," or know the M.P. for Pahiatiia whose statements the worthy chairman repudiated in his denouncement, but submit J have some cause for just impOachment on the following points.— Within thc past few years I have made three applications for my son, who is eligible for the position of a student at the college, on or off the foundation, and each time was informed that there was no vacancy, and that I could apply at the end of the year, when there "might be one." I wrote to the present director, requesting • him to name any date on which he could give mc audience with ifcy son re entering him as a student. He replied, any day during that week. We accordingly rode out within the time named, but alas, found that he had gone from home, and that there yas no vacancy for my son. I promptly wiote again, suggesting, if permissible, that my son would he pleased to camp out pending a spare room, and in reply was informed by the director that he could not permit it; that I must apply in the usual course, when there "might h-i a chance." When there I gleaned that they had six alien students, four ot whom are Australians. It dawned upon mc, through my selfish paternal instincts, probably, that it was not just that a native of this ccuntry, whose father is one of its pioneers, should, .through any such causefi be obliged to abide with hope deferred. This painful reflection compelled mc to pour out my woes and indignation to the chairman when we met. He did not take off the gloves in th 3 picturesque manner in which you describe his old fighting form, by threatening to have mc. locked up. He did not reprove mc in any way. He did not seem to doubt the just cause of my grievance; yet he did not offer mc even Christianlike consolation, but with the looks of the benign statue of the great Buddha, he said unto mc, 1 ' Put his name on the list of applicants." Oh, but I know that old, old story. It is synonymous with "No : Irish need apply, ' and so I let it pass ' for evermore.—Yours, etc „ , FRANK EGAN, ', The Oaks, Opawa, December 22nd. i