AGRICULTURAL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 6 September 1924, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL

COLLEGE FOR EACH ISLAND. PLANS OF THE MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 5. An indication that he favoured the establishment of one agricultural. college in each Island was given by • Mr. Nosworthy, Minister for Agriculture, when the House was discussing the estimates of v his Department to-day. Members advocated the claims of their respective districts to have a college, but the Minister refused to be drawn on the question of the site for the North Island college, although he indicated his view that in the South Island the Government should content itself with improving Lincoln College, Canterbury. In regard to the two agricultural colleges mentioned in the budget he sqjd the matter had not yet come before Cabinet, but he proposed, as soon as lie could get an opportunity, to discuss it, and see what arrangement could be made. Although mention had been made of two colleges for the North Island, his own opinion was that one would be sufficient in the North Island to begin with. (Hear, hear.) Where that college would be lie was not going to-say at present. He agreed-.that there should also he one in the South -Island, but instead of establishing another there lie thought it would be advisable, from a financial point of view and out of recognition of what had been done by those connected with Lincoln.. College for a great number of years, that blie Government should step in under a mutual arrangement with Lincoln College and strengthen that, institu'-• tion and bring it up to a standard equal to that of the college l proposed to he established in the North Island. (Hear, hear.) Both Islands would then be equally equipped, and there would be a college in each, -to : which 1 he thought they were entitled. - • “That,” continued the Minister, “is what is at the back of my mind —not to go in for two colleges, but to equip and establish a first-class one. in the North Island and strengthen the Lincoln College in the South Island.” Mr. Wilford: Have . von decided where the agricultural college will be? Mr. Nosworthy: No; we have not yet decided. Mr. Wilford: When will you do so ? Mr. Nosworthy: As soon as'.'we ;get it before Cabinet. • . Mr. Wilford: Is it difficult? Mr. Nosworthy: I think it is rather difficult when people bequeath a certain amount of money to ! the Government for agricultural colleges and the amount 'r not sufficient. It is not easy to decide where to go and how to utilise the money.without finding a lot more’., and if you put a college in one place vou offend people in another. Tim Minister for Education suggested that something more than the agricultural college system would be needed bring agricultural education within the reach of young farmers who could not attend a college. This necessity must be met, and it was advisable'to broaden our secondary technical schools curriculum after the model of schools in Denmark.