EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13286, 19 September 1906, Page 8

EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS.

PROPOSAL BY THE GOVERNMENT.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.]

" 'Vj,v'; J /Wellington, Tuesday. In the course of his speech at Shannon last night, the Minister for Agriculture stated that the Government intended to go into the whole question of experimental stations, and arrange them according to some proper classification. They appeared to have been established with no definite idea in view in regard to their site, the objects they -were to accomplish, or the treatment that should be meted out to them. As a result they were sprinkled over the colony with no sufficient regard to the particular wants of th© locality. The stations would be sorted out, and those that, were to remain would be experimental stations in the best sense of the word. One or two of the stations had now reached' a fairly high 'standard, and good results might, be expected from them. Where good work could be shown thoy would open the doors of the stations to the young . men of the colony, and facilities would be offered to the sons of farmers. Those who wanted to be farmers, whether they were the sons of farmers or came from the towns, would be received as cadets, and 1 given ■instruction. An immense amount of good could be done by educating farmers in the best methods of cultivation. Lincoln' College might have done good work in the past, but unfortunately its operations had been narrowed down by the conditions under which it was forced to carry on. They hoped to open the stations ,to every lad who desired to learn, but the moment they were >no longer desirous of ' learning they could return to their homes.