TEACHING AGRICULTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19564, 17 February 1927, Page 10

TEACHING AGRICULTURE

STATUS OF THE COLLEGES.' PROBLEM FOR UNIVERSITY. C6MMITTEE to make inquiry. The New Zealand University Council is so far at a loss to know what is its relationship with the New Zealand Agricultural College and Lincoln College under the new constitution of the university. ! At yesterday's sitting of the council a 1 committee of three was set up to inquire ' into the matter aftd report. Professor T. A. Hunter said the four ' colleges now made up the university, ' which was no longer an examining body with teaching institutions affiliated to it. ! As he read the. new constitution, there Was no provision in it for affiliated institu- ' tions. An institution must come under the control of one of the four colleges before the council could recognise it. Lincoln College did not belong to the • university, but the latter was interested ! in it. Students of Victoria College, who ' had been granted agricultural bursaries, found that they could not hold them there. ! They had accordingly transferred to Lin- ' coin College, which was the only agricul- ' tural college available. It was obvious 1 that the council of the university must do ' something. The New Zealand Agricultural College, 1 continued Professor Hunter, was described ' by the Act which constituted it as a ' college in connection Hvith the University ' of New Zealand. His own belief was that this expression did not mean anything.' He would suggest that a com- " mittee should be set up to consider the position of both the agricultural colleges. Sir Robert Stout: Have the agricultural > colleges sent any request? ' Professor Hunter: No. ' Sir Robert Stout: I doubt if we have 1 any jurisdiction. Professor Hunter said students had been f sent to Lincoln College. He believed that a blunder had been made, . and that it ought to be remedied in the interests of the students. He moved that Mr* H. D. Acland, the Hon v George Fowlds, and 1 himself should be appointed a committee 1 to investigate and report. , Sir Robert Stout: It is all part of the , troubles which we have had lately, and Which wtf should not have had, through ' the reports of these commissions. Mr. H. D. Acland said the New Zea- ■ land Agricultural College Act made no j reference to Lihcoln College. The latter was controlled by a board of its own in ' connection with the university. It had • been a recognised and properly affiliated , institution. What "was its position now? [ The matter should be settled, seeing that Some of the students were taking the degree course and would be coming up for ■ examination. In the same way, professors s from Auckland and Victoria University . Colleges were working at the New Zeav land Agricultural College. . Professor Hunter: That is a private matter. I Mr. Acland: The endowments and the ) land at Palmerston North are being taken i over. Professor Hunter: That is all provided for.' l Mr; Acland: I do not know what 1 power this council has regarding the , teaching of agriculture. It looks as if ■ they are setting up an agricultural nni--1 varsity. The Acts seem to be confused. The committee proposed by Professor Hunter was set up. !, WORK AT RUAKURA FARM. i . ' I. \ USEFUL SEASON'S WORK. REVIEW BY THE MANAGER. - [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] 5 HAMILTON, Wednesday. The work of the Ruakura farm of in--3 sti'UCtiOn was reviewed to*day by the , manager, Mr. H. Munro. The experience > at Ruakura in the early part o£ the j season, he said, was favourable for the 5 sowing of cetffials. The early spring was f cold and wet and the work of propar- . ing the ground for root crops was much 3 retarded. Those crops which were estab- ; lished early did well, and the turnips, 1 mangels, carrots, potatoes, and maize had - made astonishing progress, despite the j unfavourable conditions which delayed f ploughing operations preparatory to sow--1 ing the seed. i An inspection of the crops bore out s what Mr. Mutiro had said. The fly has 1 not been troublesomo at Ruakura, and the 3 crops appeared to be in first-class con- , dition. Maize, which generally speaking ' had not been successfully grown in the Wkikato, has this year an average height 5 of Bft. It is just bursting into flower 1 and the cobs aro in process of formaf tion. ' Some interesting manuring experiments t fire being carried out with the mangel i crops. Among the mixtures being used 1 are 4cwt. of basic super and 2cwt. of ■ bonediist; 4cwt. of superphosphate and - 2cwt. of bondnst; 4cwt. of superphosphate and 2cwt. of Nauru phosphates, and 4cwt. 1 of White Island fertiliser. , Haymaking operations were interfered With this season by rain, and a great quantity of hay was damaged. Many . stacks throughout the W&ikato have been > destroyed by fire this summer owing to - the wet condition in which much of it 5 was stacked. Those who delayed harvest--1 ing beyond the customary time were I fortunate, for the weather was favourable ' after the new year for this work. Mr. J Munro said the root crops and pastures were feeling the effect of the dry spell J' which occurred in the latter part of 1 January and early in February, hut two " recent downfalls of rain proved extremely J valuable in stimulating growth. For this season of the year the pastures were in ■ remarkably good condition, added Mr. Munro, and there was an ample supply of all classes of feed. Among the crops planted this year were 5 acres of potatoes, 7 of mangels, 7 of swedes, 7 of maize and 3of soft turnips. Carrots and peas were also being grown on smaller areas. The dairy cattle are giving verv satisfactory yields of butter-fat, It is prftf posed fo offer the surplus pedigree stock ■ for sale next winter. Medium crops of stone fruit have been , garnered from the orchard. The crops oi • apples arid pears are very heavy. Some 1000 ewes and rape lambs are he in 3 I carried on the property.