AGRICULTURAL TRAINING COLLEGES WANTED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 234, 26 June 1908, Page 9

AGRICULTURAL TRAINING COLLEGES WANTED.

"Agriculture," observed a member of tho Education Board yesterday, "has now becomo. a profession, not a moro occupation." .This remark was uttered during a discussion which centred upon the report of the Board's-In-structor :in Agriculture (Mr. W. C. Davies) on the rccont Autumn School in Experimental Agriculture and Nature Study held, at Groytown during tlio May term holidays. Tlio school was a great success, and tho reading of tho report drew from Mr. Hogg, M.P., somo oulogistio comments on tho sacrifico made by thoso teachers who attended and thereby gave up their holiday. Mr. Field thought, moreover, that teachers should not bo asked to forego their holidays in order to profit by thesu necessary classes. Mr. IjCo said that thoir Instructor was to bo highly commendod for his organisation and equipment of tho laboratory at Groytown. Mr. Vilo thought that tho opportunity presented itself for urging upon tho Government tho necessity for establishing agricultural colleges in tho principal centres. Mr. Field referred to such institutions as tho experimental Stato farms, tho Lincoln Agricultural College in Canterbury, and tho Palmerston Dairy School. There should bo, ho thought, a defmito schemo put forward for the systematic training of fanners. Farming was now a profession, not a mere occupation. Agriculture in New Zealand was still in its infancy, and they wcro a long | way behind a country like Donmark.