SOLDIERS AT HANMER SPRINGS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16962, 11 October 1920, Page 6

SOLDIERS AT HANMER SPRINGS.

INSTRUCTION IN AGRICULTURE

For some time past it has been understood that the Educational and Vocational department was contemplating a change in policy regarding tho i instruction in agriculture provided for ' tho soldier patients in tiie vjueen Mary Military Hospital at Hanmer bpriugs, but no detaiid of a dennite enaraever were avauaoic. A rmuwseiuative ot "Xno on oouuned. a Statement on tao suujcoi/ iroin iuujor \v. A. U. Jb'enliutjtun, t/necwr or vocational 'JUaiinng, xioui which it will be seen tnat raciicli enangts navo been dociuett ui>oii. Major i'enimgton said that tho Deparbment nad oaueavoui-ea, in various ways, to provide men m Hospital witix instruction in agricultural subjects, but) syeakmg genoiuiiy, tno resulus nad not Oeeii ns satistttcu»iy as was Hoped tor. Uno reason lor tins was tuat tneoretical intruction in agriculture did not liojd uie iueii'3 mujrusb; anuinei' was tiiao, wuiie in nospxtul, on account or tiieir oibaoiiities, men wore uiiabiu to uo practical agriculture even it tno lacnities were avauaUie. luc l)eparl>. meat appointed two travojiiig niauuctoi's in α^nciitture—two goou men, one in wooi-ciassing, and tne otner Ui general agriculture.—but it was found tiiat results did not justiiy tlicir contin uauce, and their services were dispensed with. Tnis was not tJio fault of tno soldier-students, but was duo to tiio tact that theoretical agricultural teuching could not be satisfactorily taught witliout practical work. In ad- ! dition to the travelling instructors, the Department started instructional furma at i-'ukeroa(AVaipukurau), and at liaiimer Springs; at both places it was found that the soldier-patients were able to take only an insignificant part in tho practical farm operations. Tho net result was that it was doubted whether

lectures alone wero of much, real vaiue A great deal of valuable assistance hat been rendered by tho Department o Agriculture, and the Department's ex perts had visited the hospital as fre quontly as possible. In some centre; tho Educational and Vocational Training Department was also fortunate it securing tho services of local experts, These phases of instruction in connexion with agriculture would be continued and, it was hoped, extended. At Hanmer Springs tho number oi men who had taken part in the practical agricultural work, Major Penlington stated, had been negligible, and it had been decided to replace tho agricultural lectures by instruction in poultry farming, bee-keeping, market gardening, orchard work, and horticulture. Experience had shown that men were able to get much practical benefit from instruction in these subjects while still in hospital. Instruction in woolclassing and in milk-testing would be continued as hitherto; both those subjects lent themselves to practical demonstrations, in which the soldierstudent could tnke part. Last month a start was made at several hospitals with classes in beekeeping, and at prosent a total of 89 men were taking this subject. " t