HORTICULTURE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20088, 18 November 1930, Page 15

HORTICULTURE.

INSTITUTE EXECUTIVE MEETS. educational schemes. A meeting of the Canterbury Counof tho New Zealand Institute of Horticulture was held last evening, Mr • D. Lenni© presiding. Others present were :-Messrs C. Gibbons, G. A. b* reen (Dominion Organiser), J. Mc--7? 1,1 • Cone, M. J. Barnett, and • 1 irman (secretary). A letter was received from tho ecutive stating that it approved of a resolution from the Southland district concerning the advisability of further broadcasts of lectures on horticultural subjects, and desiring district councils to tako steps in this direction where a radio station existed Remits for Conference. On the motion of Mr McLeod it was agreed that the following remit should bo sent to the conference of tho New at Wellington on January zoth : 'lhat the amount of capitation lees paid to local councils be reconsidered by the conference. Mr McLeod moved: That a remit be sent asking the conference to express its appreciation of the help and the interest taken by tho Technical College authorities in i'f°" viding horticultural instruction, i'he motion was carried. On the motion of the chairman, tho following remit was drafted : —That the question of plant nomenclature be considered by the conference, with a view to something definite being done. On the motion of Mr Green, the following remit was drafted: —That conference express its appreciation of the support now being given to research work in connexion with fruit culture and horticulture. Mr Green said that during the 3'car tho Government had acquired 70 acres of fruit lands in Nelson for research work, and a certain amount was being done in Auckland eoncorning citrus fruits, while much other work was being done elsewhere. Technical Education.

The chairman reported that ha had interviewed, Dr. I). K. Hansen, the Principal of the Technical College, who had stated that he would be only too pleased to help in any way. He had ngreed to the proposal that the insti tute furnish a number of lecturers, who would work in with the ordinary college staff. The course, ho had said, could he from March to October, with two lessons a week, each from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., ■ ono to be given by the collego lecturer, the other by the institute's, while it would be left to the institute to decide what subjects would be treated by its lecturers. One lecturer, on beginning his part of the course, would take it right through. Tho limits of the-' extent of any course were tho limits which could be absorbed by the pupils. Tho Technical College Board welcomed the suggestion, and the lecturers would rank witii other members of the staff. Tho chairman suggested that a subcommittee should be formed to go into the matter, to plan courses, and to report back to the Executive Committee. Mr McLeod expressed satisfaction with the proposals as outlined. Mr Barnett suggested that something concerning commercial horticulture could bo worked in, and Mr Green expressed approval of this, pointing out that this would, however, come ruther into tho later stages of the course. A sub-committee, consisting of Messrs Barnett, Lennie, McLeod. and the secretary, was set up to go into details and to co-operate with the Technical College authorities. Address by Mr Green. In the course of a brief address, Mr Green indicated tho progress the institute had made since its formation; it had gone ato the matter of horticultural nomenclature, it was granting medals and diplomas, it had promoted legislation, it had made great strides in tho matter of education, and some of its district councils had acclimatised plants. Though it might be claimed that nothing could be done without much money, the main thing was what the institute could initiate. He cited the example of the preservation of the Waipoua kauri forest as an example of its work in this direction, and also the matter of tho road planting scheme in the Auckland district. He also referred to the provision of a horticultural judge's register, saying that in lens than four years New Zealand had what no other country in the world had, n register which was rapidly becoming complete, so placing judging on a scientific basis. Another step was the provision of means for plant registration, though New Zealand had not gone so far as Canada and the U.S.A., which provided for plant patents. In conclusion, he urgeil that the Canterbury Council should do something to bring about a visit of Mr R. G. Hatton, the Director of the East Maling Research Station, while he was in the Dominion. It was decided that tho Association should work in with other bodies with reference to the visit of Mr B. G. Hatton.