THE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10600, 8 March 1895, Page 6

THE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE.

VISIT OP THE SENATE. By invitation of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College the members or üba University Senate yesterday paid a visit to the School of Agriculture at Lincoln. Ine party, which included a number of ladies, wore driven out in the forenoon in tiayward’fi drags and carriages! the wind and duet making the journey rather unpleasant. At their destination the guests wore received by Mr H. E. chairssan, and several members of tho Board or Governors, Messrs H. Overton and W.Boag, representing tho Board of Advice, and Mr Bayne, director, and the lecturers of the institution; An inspection of the building was made, and then luncheon was nerved, to which about fifty ladies and gentlemen eat down. After the toast of “The Quean ’ had been honoured, Mr Webb, who occupied tho chair, proposed tbs toast of “ The Chancellor, ViceChancellor and. Senate of the University of New Zealand. 1 ’ On behalf o£ the Board of Governors he heartily welcomed the members of the Senate, and thankea them for the recognition of the School of Agriculture, by initiating the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, and placing in the hands of this institution the carrying out of the technical part of the course of study for that degree. He thought it only right, in these days when the Government was establishing new industries and giving instruction in various technical subjects, that the Canterbury School of Agriculture should be recognised. ■ The Government was doing well in taking this course. Canterbury College had beon extremely fortunate in this one 'of its branches. In the first place, they had as director Mr Ivey, whoso portrait the visitors saw before ,them; and then they had secured Mr Bayne, the present director, of whoso abilities he could speak in the highest terms. He believed that the Lincoln College would compare very favourably with any similar institution in any part of the world. The Chancellor, Sir James Hector, after thanking tho Chairman for his welcome and kind expressions, expressed gratification at tho cordial understanding that had beau arrived at between the Senato and this, one of the moat valuable of technical schools. In these 'days it was necessary that higher education should be applied education, not the education of the monks of old. Agriculture was now closely allied to the other liberal sciences, and it was right that this should be recognised. The conferring oi a degree in Agriculture would give a status to the study of this science, and increase its importance and tho number of its students. It was a new departure for the Government to undertake technical higher education, and _he believed that here it would be well carried out. This became the central institution for agricultural education, just as Dunedin had the medical school, Canterbury the school of engineering, and so on. He trusted that no local jealousies would interfere with the success of tho scheme;

Sir James Hector proposed “ Prosperity to the Lincoln School of Agriculture," coupling the toast with the names of the Chairman and the Director. During the consideration of the question of a degree in agriculture, the Senate had formed a very high opinion of Mr Bayne, and of his grasp of the subject. Me Webb briefly responded. Mr Bayne expressed his conviction that the connection' with the University, and the establishment of a degree, would give a great stimulus to the study of agriculture.

The various speakers were frequently applauded. The visitors were then conducted over the farm buildings, dairy, orchard and gardens, and saw several parties of the students at work. Tea wan served in the garden, and the visitors had a pleasant drive home in the evening.