AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 77

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

SOUTH VERSUS NORTH. ■WELLINGTON, June 29. In his speech in the House this afternoon Mr Forbes spoke briefly on the subject of an agricultural college in the North Island He did not know, he said, if the farmers understood what was meant by this Apparently it was for the purpose of providing instructors, but there was no mention of how many instructors the department could find work for. They would be theoretical farmers. What were the chances of their getting employment in this country ? They did not want to educate them for other countries, and they did not want one college in the South Island and another in the North Island. Before they went in for a huge expenditure the whole matter should be thoroughly reviewed to sea if it were not possible to give the necessary advantages with a considerably less expenditure than £150.000, which was bound to be exceeded. The whole matter should be referred to a committee of the House to see if it could do anythingto obviate the expenditure of this large sum of money. He affirmed that Lincoln College had been entirely satisfactory in the pafit. Speaking generally, he complimented the Agricultural Department on what it had was very much appreciated by the farmers. The Hon. Mr M‘Leod, in the course of his reply, said there was no doubt that New Zealand was in need of something better in the way of agricultural education than what it ba t had in the past. They had now to make up the leeway of war time. The parochial question had been the stumbling-block of every Government. The time had now arrived when something should be done. The Government had accepted the responsibility and was quite prepared to shoulder it. Parliament could express its opinion on it. Mr Holland (Christchurch North) put in a word for Lincoln College, which, he said, could be made up-to-date. With a comparatively small allowance Lincoln College could be made to meet the just requirements of the, whole of the Dominion for many years to come. The sum of £22,000 had been sunk in it. It had been in operation for more than 40 years and had turned out many successful men; 40 per cent of those receiving education there were from the North Island, and it was capable of doing still more with reasonable assistance. They were not justified in spending a quarter of a million on another institution that would compete with Lincoln College. A total of £IO,OOO or £14,000 extra would be needed for salaries. Lincoln had 900 acres of the richest agricultural land in Canterbury, and another 900 acres of light to medium land. Two colleges were unnecessary in New Zetland. One good college would be more satisfactory than two colleges that were starved for want of financial assistance.