COLLEGE FOR AGRICULTURE

Evening Star, Issue 19276, 15 June 1926, Page 9

COLLEGE FOR AGRICULTURE

CANTERBURY’S CLAIM

[Per United Press Association.]

CHRISTCHURCH, June 14. A request that the Canterbury members of Parliament do all they possiblv can to urge the Government not to decide on the location of an agricultural college for New Zealand before Canterbury has had sufficient -time to state its ense and llio claims oi the Lincoln College was made to the Canterbury members of Parliament to-day bv a deputation consisting of representatives of the Canterbury College Board of Governors, the Fanners’ Union, the A and P. Association, the Sheep Owners’ Union, the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, and the Lincoln College Board of Governors. Mr G. M. Hall said the recent Commission had recommended one largo agricultural college, and that the North Island was the best place for it. Canterbury was essentially cereal-pro-ducing, and how one big college could carry out research work in the North Island when that island could not grow grain it was impossible to understand. Three Commissions had been set up, and all gave conflicting reports. The speaker did not know how tho solution could bo got by mixing those reports. In days gone by Canterbury had set aside endowments for Lincoln College, which to-day represented £220,000. At tho college there were two classes of land—good agricultural country ami light sheep country, The college had been established for forty years, and it had traditions which were not foum;, elsewhere. Of the students at the college to-day twenty came from the North Island. Lincoln College had made provision for the whole of New Zealand as well as for Canterbury. All it received from the Government was a grant of £SOO a year. It was only; a reasonable thing to ask that Parliament allow sufficient time for Canterbury to put its views_before the How. It was not a question of the North Island versus tho South. Mr J. Studholme said that New Zealand could not afford two colleges, the Government should not allow the efficiency of experts to be sacrificed for political considerations, Mr Studholme asked if the large and efficient equipment at Lincoln College were to be thrown away. Ho suggested as a solution to the problem that part of the work bo done in the North Island and the other part at Lincoln College. Dr Charles Chilton said that all must realise that agriculture was not a subject like arithmetic. It was tho application of a great' many sciences. Lincoln College was doing good work in many directions, and possessed the nocessary equipment to carry out research work, Dr P. W. Hilgendorf said he was present only to give information. The general desire was that too hasty a decision should not be come to in regard to a North Island site. There was a certain amount of work which could not be done in the North Island. Ho referred to cereal research, which could bo done only at Lincoln College. Lincoln College should bo strengthened to do that work, and the college desired that the recommendations of the Agricultural Commission should bo given effect to; that was a grant of £20,000 for equipment and £15,000 a year afterwards. Tho Hon. L. M. Isitt urged that a vigorous fight should be put up against any suggestion of making Lincoln College an annexe of a North island college. Mr D. G. Sullivan, chairman, said that the Canterbury members of Parliament would do ail they possibly could in the matter.