PROPOSED AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13486, 13 May 1907, Page 6

PROPOSED AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

A HAMILTON SITE SUGGESTED.

[FROM oub OWN , CORRESPONDENT. ]

Mb.. L. J. Bagnall, chairman of the Education Board, and Mr. George George, director of : technical education, on Friday night met representatives of the Hamilton Borough Council, the School Committer and other representative citizens. • In opening the proceedings the Mayor said • that steps had been; taken - to establish a • technical school in Hamilton, and £180 in cash had been collected and promises made of assistance by gifts of timber and other building material. The Borough Council had considered the matter and unanimously agreed to offer to the Board the sito next to tho Town Hall. ' v , . , Mr. Bagnall traced the progress, which had been made in technical education during tho past few years. Six years ago they had 20 or. 30 students; they now had over 1000. As was thought by some, the Board had not lost sight of the wants of tho country districts, but they found it necessary to proceed with caution. The proposal under consideration was more comprehensive than any which had been put forward for a country district. He and Mr. George considered that Hamilton was a centre, and well situated for the establishment of something moro than a manual training school. They felt that students should be attracted from places as far away as the Thames. Tho present Act made provision for capitation, and enabled the Board to combine a high school. Unless a suitable site was provided, they .would not get.a grant for tho building, and nothing less than _ seven or eight acres would suffice. He considered that lot 12 would suit admirably if they could get th*. adjoining section. Unless they could get a convenient and central s>:te, they would only bo ablo to have a small manual school, which would bo no use for agricultural education. ' ' , The Mayor explained that the transfer of tho land would be subject to the approval of the Government. The land asked for was of considerable area, and the matter would require very careful consideration. Tho resolution was put to lbs weting, but the feeling was manifestly m favour ot tho larger scheme. ,■