BURSARIES FOR BOARDING

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26886, 12 November 1952, Page 6

BURSARIES FOR BOARDING

LINCOLN COLLEGE CLAIMS

Bwrsaries for diploma students in agriculture should be awarded on a scale comparable to boarding allowances to apprentices in industry, in the opinion of the board of governors of Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln.

The authorities should recognise the diploma course as senior to courses in agriculture at post-primary schools for which bearding bursaries were available, said the Director (Dr. M. M. Burns) in a special report yesterday. “A very good case can be made for diploma students to be regarded as apprentices in the trade of farming and given boarding grants comparable to those paid to apprentices in motor mechanics, woodworking, and other artisan trades,” Dr. Burns said. “Such apprentices, unlike our diploma students, also earn during training, which makes the students’ case still more justifiable.” The chairman (Mr W. H. Gillespie, M.P.) said that at the recent conference of agricultural colleges the view had been expressed that Government assistance in placing qualified men on farms would be the greatest benefit wnich could be offered to diploma students. Mr Gillespie said it was no secret that the Government intended to extend rehabilitation methods of land settlement to civilians as soon as the needs of former servicemen were nearly met. Assistance to go on the land would help, but not all diploma students had such ideas, said Mr W. G. Hadley. It would be fatal to assume that anyone getting a diploma would get a farm from the Government, said Mr C. Hilgendorf. There was a good case for mote bursaries.

“It is odd, in a country where the accent is on primary production, that agriculture is the only field in which boarding bursaries are not general,” said Dr. Burns. “In effect this country rates motor mechanics and other trades as more significant to our economy.”

When dental students were short the Government- very promptly increased the boarding bursaries, said Mr W. C. Colee. The Dominion’s most essential industry should have an equal claim. ‘ v/e are only asking for comparable treatment,” said another member. It was agreed to submit fresh claims for boarding bursaries.