LINCOLN COLLEGE

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23400, 6 August 1941, Page 8

LINCOLN COLLEGE

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Board of Governors of Canterbury Agricultural College, held yesterday at Lincoln, was attended by Messrs W. O. Rennie (chairman), Messrs H. S. S. Kyle, M.P., C. M. Williams, M.P., T. H. McCombs, M.P., Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf, Messrs N. M. Orbell, J. R. D. Johns, G. F. Wright, C. T. Aschman, A. Colee, L. B. Scott (Old Students’ representative), I. L. M. Coop (Farmers’ Union representative), and the director (Professor E. R. Hudson).

The director's report stated that season continued to be very favourable. Some hard frosts had been experienced, but only 103 points of rain tell during July. The total rainfall for the year was now 19.27 in. All crops and stock were making favourable progress and some pasture growth had been in evidence throughout the winter. It had been necessary to use roots and hay in only small quantities and the stock feed position was very satisfactory. All seasonal work was well advanced and if the weather continued favourable the sowing of spring crops should soon be under way. The programme included areas of linseed flax, and special seed crops of greenfeast peas, mangels, swedes, and sugar beet. The special course tor tractordrivers was concluded on July 18. Work was continuing on the new sheep yards and a staff house. The lecturing day had been increased by one period and the end-of-term holidays were being reduced by a week in order to get the maximum amount of the year’s lecturing programme completed before students would be called up for military training. Nearly half the students would be entering camp for territorial training and others were due for overseas training. The director stated that the tractor course, which had been arranged with the Placement Office of the Labour Department, was for men practically all of whom had had some farm experience. The instruction consisted of the care, handling and servicing of tractors and a certain amount of instruction in the use of implements associated with tractors. Women’s Land Army

The sub-committee appointed to meet representatives of the Women’s Land Army, the Women’s Institute, and the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union reported that these organisations had put forward a request to the sub-committee that the college should make provision for (1) a short refresher course for women students in the spring; (2) short courses for women students during the coming year; (3) a full-time course for women students.

It was pointed out to the representatives that the amount of accommodation at the college was limited, and this would preclude the possibility of a refresher course during the cold spring months, when all the accommodation of a satisfactory standard was in use by the men students taking full-time courses. The possibility of offering short courses during the coming year would depend upon the enrolments of men students and the availability of accommodation. As to a fulltime course for women, it was stated that the college buildings were in a very unsatisfactory state for housing students taking the existing courses. The first concern of the governors was to'correct this, after which consideration would be given to the desirability of providing for women students who would require a special hostel and matron in charge. The matter was discussed in committee, when the various difficulties mentioned by the sub-committee were elaborated, these difficulties, it was stated, being likely to hamper the ordinary work of the college. Women Herd-Testers A letter received from the Herd Recording Council of the New Zealand Dairy Board stated that a report had been submitted dealing with the herdtesting course recently conducted at the college for women, and it was resolved that a letter of appreciation be sent to the Board of Governors for the training given women herd-testers. The Director-General of Agriculture wrote stating that Cabinet approval had now been given for the expenditure of £4OO for the provision of a metabolism shed at the college. The cost would be provided out of the vote of the Agricultural Department. It was explained that the shed was for use in connexion with the stock diseases research work at the Kirwee farm.