AGRICULTURAL COURSES

Grey River Argus, 25 August 1928, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL COURSES

For Technical Schools. LAND TOO DEAR, SAYS MINISTER. WELLINGTON, August 24. Encouragement for town boys to qualify for rural occupations, by providing an agricultural course in post primary schools, in or near the citywas the tenor of one of the remits presented ot the Minister of Education, on behalf of the Technical Schools’ Association Conference. Thc Minister (lion. R. A. Wright) agii'pd that the idea was a sound one, esp.cjai-ly in view of the drift to the towns. He pointed out that there was a very fine agricultural school at Feilding and there was also the Massey Agricultural College, hut he presumed rhe id a was that there should be something nearer the homes of the pupils. Thirty acres Gf land had been suggested as sufficient for the purpose of agricultural instruction, and he thought that was little enough. The Minister suggested that they would have to go some distance out into the country, otherwise .they would have to pay a high price for land. The Christchurch Technical College had leased land for an agricultural class, but he feared that, at any time, it might be ordered off. Mr Wrigh,t said he agreed that the boys should be encouraged to go on the land and the Department would see what could be done in the direction asked TECHNOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS. A remit was also presented to the Minister urging the New Zealand Ti.'Ghnical Schools’ Board be officially recognised, and that the proposed technological examinations be conducted bv i(t. * The Minister said he was afraid he could not give any hope of the request being acceded to at present. The Department was making provision for technological examinations, and it wa a intended that those in preliminary and intermediate courses in the several branches of work for boys should be held th)s yi?ar. The regulations for the institution of examinations had been drafted and referred to the bodies concerned. After the experiment had b;en tried, and they saw how* it worked out. If the position was still unsatisfactory, the Technical School Boards could approach the subject again.