SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE BILL PASSED

Northern Advocate, 9 December 1937, Page 8

SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE BILL PASSED

[Per Press Association.—Copyright. J WELLINGTON, This Day. i The Minister of Agriculture, the j Hon. W. Lee Martin, moving the second | reading of the School of Agriculture I Bill in the House of Representatives | last night, traced the history of the I development of agricultural education in New Zealand since its inception, and said the Bill would prove a milestone as far as agricultural develop-1 meat in this country was concerned. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle said he thought the Minister’s proposals contained in the Bill for the control of both Massey and Lincoln Colleges wmuld meet the position very well and that overlapping in the work of the colleges would be eliminated altogether. It would put agricultural education on a standard that would compare more -than favourably with that of any other Dominion. Need for Research. Mr. A. J. Howard (Opposition-Christ-church South) congratulated the Minisler on the Bill, stating that the measure would be responsible for the return of thousands of pounds to the South Island, as a result of the increased facilities which would be possible for the teaching of better farming methods to students of agriculture. The Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes (Opposi-tion-Hurunui) said that in, Canterbury and other parts of New Zealand c armers were suffering collossal losses of stock, particularly sheep, as the result of a lot of new diseases, about which little was known. For that reason, it was essential that a greater amount of research should be undertaken, and that men should be trained to give the country a supply of qualified students who could assist the farmer to combat the spread of these diseases. The Bill was passed.