EDUCATION TO-DAY

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 16, 21 July 1921, Page 4

EDUCATION TO-DAY

IS AGRICULTURE NEGLECTED?

" I feel that young people are being educated V> go to the towns; and I think it is time the farmers took a stand and got down to the bottom oi things," said Mr. W. P.erry,, amid applause, when moving, at the conference of the Council of Agriculture, the following remit: — That, whilst fully recognising the good work being done by the Department of Agriculture in the direction of agricultural instruction, this conference feels that this branch of the Department's work should be considerably extended, and requests the Board of Agriculture to look into the matter and make recommendations to the Department on the subject. After various delegates had supported the remit, Dr. C. J. Beakes (DirectorGeneral of the Agricultural Department) said that up to the present agricultural instruction hud not been established to the extent to which he thought it should be in a producing country, Much had been done, but New Zealand must do more if it was to compete successfully in the markets of the world. There were in the Department at present some liard-working instructors, who moved about among the farmers giving advice On the difficulties arising, but when the very large number of farmers in the country was remembered, it must be realised that the staff was very much below requirements. He had authority to engage mor,e men, but men of the right type were'not easy to obtain. The, Department was training some fine young men, and when they got" through their course they would help to increase the instructional' staff. It was in- the interests of the whole Dominion that eteps .should be taken to organise smell a staff as would maintain the agricultural industry at its present high standard and improve it. He welcomed the remit. The remit was carried..