The Dominion THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1928. A NATIONAL FORESTY SCHOOL.

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 79, 27 December 1928, Page 8

The Dominion THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1928. A NATIONAL FORESTY SCHOOL.

Arising out of the recent visit of the Empire Forestry Conference to New Zealand, the question of combining the Schoo s of Forestry at Auckland and Canterbury University Colleges : being discussed. The opinion was expressed at th e Conference that amalgamation was desirable on the scoie of econo y - '““he' present position appears to be that the Auckland Sdrool of Forestry consists of one professor, who supervises the work oi the students in that part of their '.course which deals with forestry questions. subjects of the course ; for the Bachelor of Science degree m Forestry are taken by other members of the College teaching staff. In Canterbury College there are two lecturers in forestry, but no professor. _lt is argued that it wou.d be better, on the present basis of. expenditure, to combine the teaching power of the two schools in a centralised institution. .1 his argument does not need much emphasis. ' ' , c , . The real difficulty to be solved is whether, the National School of Forestry should be located at Auckland or Canterbury. Each centre, it is held is conveniently situated.within comparatively easv reach of forest reserves and plantations suitable for -the practica instruction of the students. For this reason it is argued that the schools should be allowed to remain as at present, one for the convenience of South Island students and the ether for those in the North. ■ e. t . There is very little to be said for this contention. Students taking a medical course are required to go to the Medical School at Otago University College. There is no similar institution anywhere else in the country. Even with the forestry schools situated as they are, students from other parts are obliged to live away from their homes in order to take the course. From that point o. view, therefore, it matters nothing whether the amalgamated schools should be located at Auckland or Christchurch. When negotiations were in train for the establishment of . the Massey College of Agriculture, the University College authorities at Auckland and Wellington compromised on a site at Palmerston North. At the same time, there was considerable agitation on behalf of the claims of Lincoln College, as most people will remember. The old cry of North v. South was raised. Will it be raised again in regard to the location of the national School of Forestry ? It should surely be possible to determine a question of this kind from a national point of view. Our forestry problems are serious and urgent. One of them is the provision of an-efficient personnel for the staff of the Forestry Department. If young New Zealanders are to be trained for the Forest Service —the country should insist upon that—the facilities for their instruction should be adequate and up to date. There can be no question that two separate schools mean an unnecessary division of forces and equipment, and a wasteful duplication of costs. Further, divided organisation makes it difficult to provide that unity of purpose and inspiration which provides the foundation for sound team-work later.

Probably apprehending a repetition of the political intriguing that happened over the Massey College, the Government may be inclined to temporise with this new question. It must, however, be settled sooner or later, and the sooner the better. Each of the Forestry Schools, as they are at present constituted, is inadequately staffed, equipped, and financed*; altogether out of proportion, in fact, to the great national importance of the problems of afforestation which it is-part of their function to help to elucidate.