OTAGO EXPANSION LEAGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3336, 20 February 1918, Page 6

OTAGO EXPANSION LEAGUE.

Tho Otago Expansion Lcaguo has a now . venture on the stocks. At a meeting of the Educational Committee on Monday, 11th inst., a scheme was outlined which it is hoped will stimulate tho intelligent and practical knowledge of the school lads of Otago in utilitarian botany. The idea is to utilise the Bpirit of emulation as between school and school for tho possession _ of a handsome trophy, tho honour of which it is hoped will be as eagerly competed for as tho football banner. The purpose _ of the proposer of this composition is to give the rising generation an intelligent interest in and a love for skilled cultivation of tho earth. Another interesting proposal from a country correspondent was received by tho Country Development Committee. It iz - far reaching idea to utilise tho services

• of a number of returned soldiers in stockI ing our mountain and forest reserves with a valuable fur-bearing animal, the multiplication of which in a few years would produce lucrative occupation for an army of hunters and trappers—a trade which the writer believes would be avidly sought after by tho men who will be coming back from the war. While the committee was entirely sympathetic to any proposal for the good of our soldiers, it has asked the permission of the author to hand the letter to the Acclimatisation Society, which will bo better able to-deal with a question of this i nature and magnitude.