AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 September 1924, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

BIG EXPENDITURE AHEAD

(By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) . WELLINGTON, Sept. 4

“New Zealand has not begun to spend on agricultural education yet, ” declared the Minister of Education to a Canterbury deputation which asked for grants of £IO,OOO to improve the facilities at Lincoln Agricultural College. Mr. Parr in his reply showed'that the Government will need to face a very large expenditure, and that it'is justified. “The farmer,”" he. said, “is carrying the whole show; on his back, and he is faced with the probability of serious competition, hence the necessity of improving in every respect his farming, particularly his. scientific knowledge, so as to increase the production of the country.” It would be sound policy to set up agricultural colleges in different parts of New Zealand. There had been arrangements three years ago between the Education and Agricultural Departments to avoid overlapping in agricultural education. the former department confining itself to, elementary agricultural education up to the high school leaving age. and relegating to the Agricultural Department the practical farming and scientific courses. He had lately been convinced that this arrangement was not working satisfactorily, and when the session ended he and the Minister of Agriculture would confer with the object of setting out a definite policy. Professor Peren, a new professor, set an agricultural college' at £50,000 for farm, stock and appliances, which was obviously an under-estimate. Mr. Forbes: A report from Hawkesbury suggests a minimum of £50,000 and an annual maintenance of £SOOO. The Minister went on to say that he believedmaintenance would be more like £IO,OOO. .and expenditure on this object would have to be faced. He would admit that provision must he made in the South Island as well as in the North. They , were fortunate in having £20,000 left from the Tate Sir John Logan. Campbell, and there would probably be other gifts .exceeding £20,000 for Auckland University; for the same purpose, which with the Government subsidy would, probably more than equip, the There was the generous gift of tlie late Sir Walter Buchanan to Wellington. The Director of Education was considerably at variance with the deputation as to whether Lincoln College .was fulfilling its .functions in the matter of. scientific agricultural instruction. The Minister said he recognised that an institution with 1800 acres of valuable estate in a convenient position was a fitting nucleus for what -was needed, and would probably develop into a modern well-equipped agricultural college; He would look at it from that point of view. There was no question that in the next few years, if the Government was going to tackle the matter, it would face heavy expenditure. *