RETIREMENT OF MR S. A. La ROCHE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29342, 22 October 1960, Page 16

RETIREMENT OF MR S. A. La ROCHE

Chief Agricultural

Instructor

Returning to his old school (Auckland Grammar) he taught science for two years and then (in 1928) when to Wairarapa Col-

lege where he was in charge-, of agriculture and taught science for 10 years. Appointed an agricultural instructor to the Canterbury Education Board in 1938, Mr La Roche was promoted to chief 20 years ago and has held that position ever since. There have been enormous developments in school agriculture, horticulture, and silviculture in Mr La Roche’s time. He founded the board's school endowment plantation scheme and there are now about 20 of them ranging from one to 30 acres.

He founded every group of the Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Clubs in North Canterbury (except Lincoln) and has seen their work grow to this year’s record of 14,000 animal-rearing, gardening .and crop-raising projects. When he began there was a handful of such projects in Christchurch city. This year there were more than 4000 He inaugurated the scheme under which senior district high school pupils have had a week’s residential course at Canterbury Agricultural College. Lincoln He has been responsible for the schools’ side of Arbor Dav plantings which have set 30.000 native subjects in Elizabeth Park above the Sign of the Takahe. Mr La Roche is . a former presidenl of the Summit Road Scenic Society and foundation president of the Canterbu.-v Native Flora Society for the last six years. He is a fellow of the Roval New Zealand Institute of Horticulture.