THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1926, Page 8

THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

Every farmer in Taranaki will probably cordially endorse the resolution paused by the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce,, which we published yesterday, urging upon the Ministers responsible for the site of the college the absolute necessity for it being located where students can “with the scientific application rendered by such a college, demonstrate to- the farming, community how medium class lands can be made equal in producing qualities to the better class lands.” That is the great problem before this province. The fortunate individual who is farming first-class land, provided he did not. pay too much for it, and is willing to work his land, can hardly fail to make a competency. But in the poorer country it is becoming clearer each year that scientific treatment is essential if these lands are to be capable of producing sufficient to make them worth holding, thus preventing them becoming, as many areas are at present, mere nurseries of weeds. So far from, such lands being an asset to the Dominion, they are a positive menace. It seems a great pity that the Moumahaki State farm, was disbanded, for a great deal of its work had been done with second-class country, and the buildings and organisation there might (veil have formed the nucleus of the agricultural college. Fresh evidence as to the urgency of the problem of the poorer laud in Taranaki -will be found in the case of the Parihaka soldier sellers, which came up for review at the last meeting of the Egmont County Council. Here, it was stated, are farms which are so poor that men living on them have to go out and work for wages. A case was actually cited of a man whose own farm was weed-infested and yet the unfortunate owner, in order to support his family, had to work for wages cutting weeds on another farm whilst his own continued to foster them. The solution of the problem will not be easy, nor will it be found very rapidly, so that the sooner scientific research begins the better. Fortunately, the two Ministers upon whom rests the responsibility for choosing the site of the college are practical farmers, and the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Hawken) knows Taranaki conditions as well as any man. Both lie and the Minister for Lands have repeatedly stated that the only condition upon which a site will be selected is its suitability, which is as it should be. Equally important is the necessity of eoming to a decision promptly. It is many week* since the agreement between the Wellington and Auckland authorities cleared the way for a central college, but the Ministerial inspections have only just begun. There 1 is room for a good deal of speeding up.