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Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 71, Issue 6143, 1 October 1945, Page 2

HOME AGAIN

TE AWAMUTU AND DISTRICT MEN

QUIET JOYFUL SCENES AT RAILWAY STATION

All roads led to the Te Awamutu Railway Station this morning, when relatives and friends made that place the rendezvous to meet the local and district men who returned after service in the Middle East.

Among those on the station were the Mayor, Mr G. Spinley, Mrs Downes, president of the Red Cross Society, Miss Tui Empson, Transport Officer of the Red Cross, Messrs B. Malone, president R.S.A., A. J. Tailby, secretary of the Patriotic Society. The Te Awamutu Fire Brigade turned out in force to meet Temporary Sergeant A. H. Irwin, one of their number. Mr L. W. Spence had his public address system in operation and he acted as announcer. The train drew into’the station about 6.15 a.m. and relatives surged forward to meet their loved ones. There was no outward demonstration of joy either from the men on the oncoming train or those on the platform. Probably the occasion was too deep to allow it to be expressed in cheering or other vocal signs of joy. There were many joyful scenes of re-union, however, and friends obeying the Biblical injunction rejoiced with those that rejoiced.

Several men from as far afield as Tauranga got off the train at Te Awamutu and were met by relatives. In a very few minutes the train departed on its northward journey and local district men were transported to their homes.

The scenes were repeated at 10 a.m. when a second batch of Te Awamutu and district men arrived. The names of the men who returned were published in last Wednesday’s Courier.

propose to enter other vocations. Under the present conditions in South Auckland pupils with a leaning towards rural life and who desire to further their studies in agriculture have no option but to take a higher education with a bias to either trades or professions unless their parents can afford to enrol them at a school situated outside the Auckland province. The result is that many boys who commence their post-primary education with the idea of fitting themselves for farming are, during their school life, directed into other occupations. The committee are unanimous in recommending that an Agricultural High School be established somewhere in the AucPu d. province, south of Auckland city, for pupils who have completed two years in a post-primary school and who desire a further two years of post-primary education before going on the land. The reasons for postponing entry until after two years preliminary post-primary education are: The _first two years of nost-primary education can be given just as efficiently in a district high school as in an agricultural high school. The parent is saved the expense of two years’ boarding fees and in addition has his boy at home for urgent seasonal operations during that period. A boy after two years in a post-primary school is in a better position to decide his future vocation than is the boy who has just left a primary school. Boys who have done two years’ post-primary education will have done most of the compulsory “common core” and will have more time available for practical farming. Location of the school is not the biggest problem. The site should be convenient to the whole of South Auckland, and should not be too close to a large town. Farming should be taught in a country atmosphere rather than in urban surroundings. The questionnaire submitted by the Agricultural branch of the Au uldand Education Board was read by Mr Bryant, and it asked if members of the organisation were in agreement that such a school with boarding accommodation should be established; if members were prepared to support the establishment of a school; were there any prospective pupils whose parents would be prepared to pay boarding fees if the school were established in 1946; if members knew of any particular area south of Auckland that would be suitable for the proposed school; and if the organisation wished to be advised of the date of proposed meetings to discuss the proposal. Any other opinions would be welcomed by the committee.

At the Farmers’ Union meeting, after' Mr Bryant’s address, Mr J. S. Pattison asked if an application had been made to the Auckland Board for the establishment of such a school.

Mr Bryant said the Board had issued the pamphlet and the latter wanted to know if such a school was wanted.

Mr Pattison said they should go on with the proposal. The time was coming when with modern transport such a school would be within reach of every boy to take an agricultural course that was not practicable in local schools. A school of the Feilding type was desirable. He suggested that Waikeria would be a suitable site.

The meeting then answered the questionnaire outlined above, each answer being in .accord with the desire to see an agricultural school established. Waikeria was named as a suggested site.

Mr Wallace J. Hodgson said no country in the world was so suited as New Zealand was for pastoral pursuits, but it was questionable if the national policy was being guided along those lines. It was essential that education should be along those lines, and to make farming what it should be. The only place to learn practical farming was on a commercial farm and not on a model farm. Science was making a tremendous advance in farming matters and the purpose of agricultural schools was to give train--ing in that matter. An investigator who had gone from Australia to Russia returned to tell his own country that' they had much to learn from Russia, and if they were not more progressive they would be left behind. The discussion then closed.