ENGINEERING AT LINCOLN COLLEGE

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30146, 1 June 1963, Page 7

ENGINEERING AT LINCOLN COLLEGE

[By

D. L. K.]

rpHE stage has been reached in the development of agricultural engineering activities at Lincoln College w’here the college is making an effective contribution towards improving the status of the profession in New Zealand. This is a fine tribute to the late Mr A. W. Riddolls, reader in agricultural engineering. who was head of the department. The teaching of agricultural engineering at the college is relatively new. Before Mr Riddolls'g appointment as the first full-time lecturer in engineering in 1944 this was limited to blacksmithing, carpentry and some surveying taken by a part-time lecturer. The facilities then consisted of a small room with a few hand tools. It was there that Mr Riddols started teaching metal work. Soon, as the number of students increased, the room had to be extended. Two tractors —one old and one new —were donated and practical instruction began on engines and tractors. A temporary lecture room, exArmy, was obtained, and a course of lectures on elementary surveying and levelling, drainage, irrigation, water supply and other farm structures became available Demonstrations on farm machinery were jlso organised

An instructor was appointed in 1945. who took over instruction on engines and metal work, tn 1946 a technician and a research assistant were appointed. The staff has since increased to five in addition to the head of the department. Some research on machinery im-

provement and development began although there was no equipment or buildings available initially. Even at this early stage, Mr Riddolls suggested facilities for the testing of tractors and farm machinery. The old piggery building was converted into a workshop and later extended to house research and instrumentation facilities. A new laboratory and machinery

demonstration block was built in 1951. The original workshop was extended on two occasions to 'accommodate more equipment and larger classes. Instruction in gas and electric welding was also included in the range of activities.

Finance for equipping the new laboratory was limited but many commercial organisations have generously placed valuable equipment at tlie disposal of the department. Some items have also had to be designed and constructed by the department. As a result practical instruction can be given on farm machinery, engines and hydraulic equipment. Apparatus has also been set up to measure the performance of machines such as tractors, engines, pumps and fans. Mr Riddolls wrote a textbook on farm engineering and several research papers have been published. Two machines developed by the department have been successful commercially. A characteristic of agricultural engineering is its wide scope. It includes the study of power and machinery, »oil and water engineering, electricity and product-processing and farm structures.

All diploma and degree students receive training in agricultural engineering and degree students may specialise in this subject in their final year. A one-year course for a diploma in agricultural engineering is iffered and the college has been approved as a teaching and examination centre for the British National Diploma of Agricultural Engineering. Mr Riddolls was particularly interested in soil and water engineering, which includes the study of hvdraulics, hydrology, drainage, irrigation and soil conservation methods. Students who have later taken up careers in these fields have found that the training they received at Lincoln was sound and extremely useful