FIGHT IS ON!

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 108, 3 November 1926, Page 8

FIGHT IS ON!

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE SITE

CLAIMS OF NORTH ISLAND

A LEAGUE FORMED.

(From Our Special Reporter.) PALMERSTON N., 2nd November. So .far as the -Agricultural College site is concerned, the fight is on. Already the people of the South Island are organising with the object of advancing the claims of Lincoln, but it is apparent that they are not to be allowed to have a clear field. A representative meeting was held at Palmerston North Show Grounds this afternoon to discuss the position, and it was unanimously decided to form a North Island Agricultural College League. Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., presided. There had been a preliminary conference a few days ago, said Mr. Nash, and it had been decided to endeavour to secure an attendance that would be thoroughly representative of the whole district. He suggested that before very long there should be a North Island conference. There were several members of Parliament in the North Island who were not supporting the establishment of the college in the.North Island, and they ought to be brought into line. He understood that a conference was to be held in Christchurch with the object of forming a league to furtheT the claims of Limcoln College. It was well known that Lincoln College was not the ideal of an agricultural college, but there could be no doubt that tho authorities of that institution had made a very generous offer. Although they in the North Island felt that the college would be ultimately established at Palmerston North —although they were not particularly stressing Palmerston North—it was essential that they should keep themselves fully alive to the position. He ventured the opinion that if the Agricultural College Bill had been introduced earlier in the session than was the case, they would have had the college in Palmerston North. A GENEROUS GIFT. Professor G. S. Peren expressed his thanks to the people of Palmerston. North for the very generous gift they had made. The land which had been given would be a most valuable acquisition. Palmerston North did not yet have the college by any means, and the position was still very uncertain. They were at present waiting for the announcement of tho Government as to tho Government members of the College Council, and he expected that statement would be made in a few weeks. The charter which had been given to the new college by the Government was a wider one than most people imagined. They were permitted to undertake dairy research, dairy farming, pasture work, and animal husbandry. It really amounted to North Island dairy farming, which in itself was a big thing. The question to be decided during the next sesson of Parliament was whether they were merely going to have a dairying institute in Palmerston North or a dairying institute aud an agricultural college. The question was: Would the college be situated at Palmerston North or at Lincoln? FALSE IDEAS. There were many false ideas about the purpose of the Agricultural College, said Professor Peren. They were not going to merely turn out degree men who would not have a solid training in all branches of farm work. He, personally, had been right through tho mill. There was no doubt that a good degree course was essential, as there was undoubtedly a need for a certain number of degree men. He thought that Palmerston North was an excellent site for an agricultural college. On the site which had beon chosen they had three types of soil. They were not using land that was all first-class, said Professor Peren, and he pointed out that they only had 120 acres of good flats on tho site that had been chosen. They had to remember that the college they hoped to establish would not merely be a temporary institution, but would have to last for all time. Professor Peren proceeded to answer certain criticism which had been levelled at the Palmerston North proposal in the House of Representatives. Stressing the need for the people of the North Island to get together in regard to the college, Professor Peren said that at the present time the North Island was divided against itself. If that division continued, it was quite possible that there would be a deadlock. He was sure that the agricultural college would not go to Lincoln, but if there was apathy in the North Island he was not at all sure that it would go to Palmerston North either. The Government might be only too ready to seize upon an opportunity to do nothing. Mr. James Knight (president of the Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association) stressed the need for the people of the Manawatu, and, indeed, of the North Island, to pull together. The president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (Mr. J. R. Simpson) then moved: "That, in the opinion of this conference, a league be formed, to be called the Agricultural College League." \ The motion was seconded by Mr. M. A. Elliott, who expressed the view that there would have been little opposition to the recent poll if it had been possible for the ratepayers to have heard Professor Peren. The suggestion was made by Mr. J. H. Stevens that it would be better if they endeavoured to form a New Zealand Agricultural College League. After discussion, the njotion was carried unanimously.