DAIRY INSTRUCTOR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 71, 29 July 1913, Page 2

DAIRY INSTRUCTOR.

APPOINTMENT OF AX EXPERI

At the annual meeting of the Stratford Dairy Company yesterday afternoon, Mr A. Gray, director or technical education under the Taranaki Education Board, addressed shareholders on a proposal to introduce a scheme whereby a dairy and agriculture'expert instructor may be obtained for this district. This is, .that, the .dairy companies should contribute on the basis of Is per ton on the output of buttei and 6d per ton on cheese, the-sum thus raised to be subsidised at the rate of £ tor £ by the Education Department. The duties of the instructor would be (1) to hold classes at the different centres, which would be open to farmers and factory managers and employees free of cost, (2) to be at the service of farmers for information and advise, verbally or by correspondence, (3) to give instruction in dairying and agriculture to teachers in the service of the Education Board, (4) to supervise the work of agriculture and danyiug in the schools. It was proposed that the sum be* guaranteed by the companies for throe years, as it will take that time to ascertain if the scheme is working successfully. In his remarks, Mr Gray stated that lie had already addressed the suppliers to Bell Block and Waitaxa road, and he had suggested 2s as the amount on butter and Is on cheese, but since then had favored Is and 6d respectively, though they had voted in favor of the larger sums. A Voice: "Make,it even money."

Mi 1 Gray, continuing, said lie would agreo to fchat, but other companies might object. He was rather anxious that this company should vote for his proposal as he was going on to Midhirst, and he would like to have their backing behind him in His address. In answer to a question as to what effect his scheme would have upon the education the children were now receiving, Mr Gray said the instructor to bo appointed would be an expert who had gone through a complete course of training; if possible, a man would lie appointed from Hawkesbury College. Already in New Zealand some of those who had,received their training there were doing good work, and everywhere.. tho : people would not part.with them. Not only did they give the benefit of their experience to farmers, but they could talk with them and give- them many useful hints.. It would take three-'years to.> give the scheme a> trial, 'and at' the end' of that time they coifld decide whether to it or not, but lie, h'aq.iio' doubt' 'of tlie result, and . jJijey 'would go on for another three years.' Mr; Harris said there'w«ra no tech'nicai' schools in the back-blpcks' ana the scheme would hot'do y£ry:good work. |put" tjiere. The spedKejr Sveh't on" dramatically to describe the conditions from his point of view: "We till the ground and sow it," he said.

"It seems such a strange, thing to me in these days that whenever a new thing is heard of and is considered of Value to the dairy industry that it is always-brought up in .the technical schools, qv- a gentlema;n : ,',conifc"S"! along' and tries to adapt us to it, 'ttheretts .jm&brM usi'thiiib a i; great deaT'taore could be learnt from our own selves. (Laughter,; I have travelled through mud- up to my neck a few years ago. (Aside: Don't laugh; I know what 1 am talking about,) Now, this gentleman or any kind of gentleman comes along to teach science to our child-'

j The Chairman to Mr Harris: You lean ask Mr Gray any questions you like, but you musn't make a speech. Mr Harris: My speech is quite'true and you know it. (Laughter.) Mr Gray: Jt is an. opportunity foi the children to get education. Mr Harris: My dear man, I have children that I taught from the cow's teat! (Roars of laughter.) I have a kid four years qf. age that can,milk "better than you can. (Uproar.) 1 am not hostile to Mr Gray, said Mr Harris as he sat down.

Mr Eawles asked if the Company could enter into a scheme like this. The Chairman: I think so. It would affect us to the extent of about £32 per year, a shilling on our output of 610 tons.

"TO OCR SHAME."

A Voice: "I think we want it all

Mr Rawles said there was only one thing that would influence his vote and that was in regard to'the children. If the instruction is to be carried into the country, it is a" great item; otherwise I Mould say "no." Public meetings for the sake of the settlers would be a waste of time—f say it to our shame. In every instance the settlers have stayed at

A Voice: They are influenced too in neb by tobacco. Mr Harris: In nicotine there is sense, but .1 do not believe in you fellows!

The Chairman : Very probably the Stratford children are getting a pull on the children in the country schools, and if we bad a man to go out, say into Makuri, or other places, and give the settlers instruction might those children not get the opportunity to obtain the advantage that the others have in the bigger towns? That man would meet the farmers and teach them something. Mr Harris: ICither they are very very slow, or they can't teach our children, from your own remarks near in mind. 1 have boys brought up in the back-blocks that 7 will baok against any within fifty miles of Stratford fur ability, education, and <'fi"iciency. As good as any man you can find ! . . . A man lik<> you to teaeli them! . . . T know what the backblocks is. for two years my wife never saw a white woman! What do you think of that (Laughter and applause.) A Toko supplier mentioned that some

timo ago meetings somewhat of a similar nature were, started with fifteen members and the class fell through. "I know it cost me 10s," lie said feelingly. Mr Bowling: Will Mr Gray gir« * guarantee to go on with the baekblock's class? Mr Gray: That is a very pertinent question and very much to the point; that is the reason I am hers. I will go wherever you wish to have instruction. The classes are more for. the benefit of the back-blocks than for tho town.

Mr Harris: That is as much as to say that the back-blocks settlers don't take an interest in their children and see that they learn. lam an engineer by trade. I know what technical work is better than you do. I take an interest in my children. I draw plans on the table and show them everything I possibly can. You can't find better men in Xew Zealand. They are too well bred, although they are only half bred." Renewed laughter, the last remark being in answer to an interjection which had "nettled" the speaker. , One speaker asked as "to the cost. Would a man be put on specially for the instruction? He advocated the Agricultural Journal as an instructor.

Mr Grey stated that the cost would )G £3OO a year.

- The Chairman, on behalf of the Company, thanked Mr Groy for his address! As farmers, he admitted, they did not realise fully the benefits of cechnical' education, ! but milked the ,'ows and pulled away at the teats! But the time w4fs coming when, with the high price of '< land and the big rents, they would have, to go ahead faster than they had been doing. He ;hought they would find that more instruction from experts would assist the company, and, after all, £32 was not much to give towards the scheme. Jo again thanked Mr Gray, and stated that the meeting would decide the matter later. A hearty vote of thanks vvas accorded Mr Gray before leav-

When the matter came up again a* the concluding business of the meet.ng, the number of shareholders had chinned down considerably. Th-3 Chairman said they should not .urn down the proposal without corijideiing it carefully and intelligently. The idea was, a very good one if they got the right kind of man for the mek-blocks. <<- ... ~,. , Mr Webb moved; that it be a recommendation .to the shareholders to idopb the -scheme.-—Seconded by Mr PauJgen .->■ ;u -ot

' Mrs Mc Bride i said! it was not I right tkit men—Government or otherwiseshould come ; from, all oyer, the country, to their meetings and take up . thehvtime and ftjry and inducpthem to .ipendjmoneyi without giving ijhem time <;o consider- things,. ~.,_. , ; i Some, ieeliugi,-was :,thus itag? owing to a remark in reply to -he last speaker that ,thej should come "with their considering cap's on," and one man left the meeting in come-

quence. ' The voting was—B for and 10 igainst, and the ! , I .ni,otion !n .was, Ppni*inentlv, lost. ' , , f' BETTER LtjCK AT MmirtlßST.

~ There was JitUo discussion after Mr Gray ; had addressed ..the j Midhirst iharsholders. :•,-,,.,.' ~. .... ... Mr G. Sangster moved' that the grant asked for be mad«. It was a great step forward^ Mr Kenrick seconded the motion. He, said it would cost practically nothing. ','.., Tho Chairman,said th« Midhirst Company's grant would b® about £35 per annum. Mr Gray said that when he started the idea he had asked for 2s per ton, and many companies had agreed to pay that sum. Latterly, he had decided that Is per ton would suffice. Tho motion was carried. Mr Gray ? in returning thanks, said he felt sure that the instructor would bo ;t boon to the education district.