AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13451, 30 May 1907, Page 7

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

' Sir,— your issue of the 21st inst. I seb some comments by "A Teacher" on the remarks passed by some of tho members of the Farmers' Union Conference held recently in Auckland in regard to the appointment of an agricultural instructor by the ; Education Department. Perhaps-"A Teacher" is one of the fortunate ones who' by his appointment will bo enabled to while an lidlo hour away, of which some teachers appear to have plenty.- That Mr. Jackson is |an acquisition to the colony I am sure none of the farmers ever doubted, and good i theory mixed with good practice is also recognised as essential to successful farming. But for the Government to set the school teachers to teach the farmers' sons agricultural farming, well, I think the idea savours too much of tho old adage about grandmothers and . egg-sucking, or at least of Mark Twain's Rev. Beecher's farm. In regard to the farmer having brains, in my experience, which extends over 30 years in New Zealand, I have found tho average farmer or settler as well off in that respect as the average teacher, though be may, not exercise them in u he same direction. And as for Mr. Massey being the struggling settler's friend, I,should think his attitude towards the Advances to Settlers Bill would' be quite sufficient to show any brainy per' son the amount of friendship he entertained for the struggling settler. Traveller. ' , Helensville. k