MR. BUCHANAN'S OFFER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 609, 11 September 1909, Page 8

MR. BUCHANAN'S OFFER.

1 MINISTER'S ATTITUDE CRITICISED

GIFT HOBSE LOOKED IN THE MOUTH. Tho Christchurch "Weekly Press" this Week severely condemns the Hon. T. Mackenzie's treatment of Mr. W. C. Buchanan's offer of an experiment farm for Wairarapa. It says:—

| "Tlie Hon. T. Mackenzie cannot bo congratulated upon his reply to tho Wnirarapa deputation that- urged him to accept Mt. \V. C. Buchanan's offer of £6000 towards tho establishment of an experiment farm in the Wairarapa. The existence of the State Farm at Wereroa may, as Mr. Mackenzie a Jß'' ot l> make unnecessary the establishment of tuo experiment farm desired by Mr. Bntiianan. But wo are not at all prepared to accept as accurate tho Minister's estimate of- tho cost of such a farm, nor of tho annual expense of its upkeep, though - his figures are interesting as throwing somo Won the oxtravagant methods employed by the Government. But assuming that the sum offered wa-s not sufficient to pay the whole cost of tho farm, and that the Government cannot afford to find the balance that would be required, it would surely have been better to decline the offer at once than to suggest that it should be devoted to -somo other purposo than that which the donor had in view. It is proverbially discourteous to look a gift horse in the mouth —all that can be done if it is not wanted is to decline it with thanks.-

Hint after Hint. "But'tho Minister, after asserting that . amount offered would only cover half tho original cost of tho farm, tnrew out hint after hint as to the objects on which he would like the money spent. 'One could n °' iW feeling,' \he said, 'that tho offer ! '' art - been of much wider usefulness if Mr. Buchanan had given the Government the moneyj even half of it, for socialising purposes. He also mentioned that 'it would be a great help' if the Government could get money , for tho purchase of bulls for wereroa, 'even if we only had £1000.' Or it would be a good thing if Mr. Buchanan •would _cntertain tho idea of establishing a farm for the purpose of seed culture and testing. There are, no doubt, dozens of -ways m-which large sums might be spent most profitably in promoting scientific' agricultural knowledge, but we are bound to Gay that the .Government's peculiar niethod or receiving Mr. Buchanan's generous offer ' ls calculated to encourage other wealthy men to follow his example. • . " .

Unsoln College Defended. ' "Mr. Mackenzie's remarks on tho above matter were, unfortunately tactless; his reference to Lincoln College was .inaccurate, lliere was no .place in New Zealand, he declared, where a young man could go to work with _ any certainty of being instructed * in farming. 'What about Lincoln College?' interjected a member ofi the deputation. 'The young men got a lot'of theory there.' replied the Minister, 'and no doubt they do their best. - I want to seo far more practical work done. . The , scientific instruction .at Lincoln College at present , overrides v the practical. Therein Mr. Mackenzie .spoke from sheer lack of knowledge. Tears ago assertion' that the education: given at Lincoln College \ w'as . not practical had a great vogue among people ,who knew nothing about tho matter, but since then it has become generally recognised that tho U> ego course is «f a stronclv praotical as .well, as_ scientific nature'. Of'the 7SO acres comprising the college farm proper; somo m:acres were in eron last year', whilo the stock included over. 2000 cjieep, some 70 ot h0 head .of cattle, besides pigs' and horses. As outside labour, has been' reduced to a minimum, tho students , necessarily have plenty ot actual work to do.. As a matter i n iv ro '' s no nroceS3 of farm labour that they 'are not called upon'tonndert-ilie. Mem hers of the Government, speaking generally, have never shown the interest in" the ,college i that it deserves,, and their'attitude of neglect is reflected in'; their ignorance of the nature ,of the, training that it supplies! Mr.. Fowlds, howover, visited the institution the other day, and said on his ""return that.;iho general system of training was 1 to ttirji out tlmrouehlv cquii>nnn farmers.' Mr. Mackenzie might well to ow his colleague's example .and visit tho college before expressing any further opinions about it." ... \