A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6885, 21 June 1890, Page 4

A. AND P. ASSOCIATION.

THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BILL. A meeting of the Association was held at 2 p.m. yesterday, to consider the draft ; of the Hon E. C. J. Stevens' Lincoln ' Agricultural College Bill. The following were present : —Messrs John Anderson, jun. (Chairman), John Deans, Hon E. G»ray, W. Boag, H. P. Murray- Aynsley, P. Cunningham, King, Sfcaveley, Money, and J. W. Overton. SMALL FABMB COMPETITION. Mr T. D. Acland, who attended by permission of the President, read the letter which he had received from Lord Onslonr, on the subject of the recent small farms ' competition. Lord Oublow had noticed from newspaper reports that there waa a prize wanting in the dairy farm class, and ( recognising the value of each a competition, he thought it might be well to present a medal to Mrs Fuasell and her daughter for the especial tidiness and good management of their farm, which had been awarded second place in the dairy farm competition. Mr Acland observed that His Excellency wasno mean judge of such matters, and had taken great interest in the Old Country in such competitions, besides writing a book on the subject. He had, besides, interested himself keenly in the present competition, which would have j great influence in the settlement of the Colony by that most desirable class of people, genuine dairy farmers. Mr Acland proposed— " That the letter as well as the medal be handed to Mrs Fussell and her daughter," thinking that His Excellency's kindly remarks would be as highly valued a3 the medal. It was decided to hand the medal, a very handsome silver one, and the letter to Mrs Fusßell. The Committee further unanimously decided to Bend their thanks to Lord Onslow for the practical evidence he had given of his interest in the dairy farming and cottage homestead competition. AGRICULTURAL COL LEO E. The Chairman made the following remarks on the position of affairs in connection with the School of Agriculture: — " Gentlemen, I have called you together to-day with a view of getting an expression j of opinion regarding the Bill about to be introduced into Parliament by the Hon E. C. J. Stevens to provide for the management of the Lincoln School of Agriculture. This measure is of vast importance to a farming community, and especially to this Association, as it provides to give ua a part in the management of the College. Perhaps it is sb well to give a short r&wml of how the College came into existence, and what success has attended it during the past years. In 1872 the Provincial Council very wisely set aside a hundred thousand acres of land for the purpose of establishing a School of Agriculture. The funds arising from the sale of land, or rents, were to be entirely devoted to the College. A Board of Agriculture was appointed, but owing to the agitation for the abolition of Provinces, the Board never took office. In 1876 the Superintendent conveyed these reserves to the Board of Governors of the Canterbury College, to be held in trust for the Agricultural College, but the Board of Governors have appropriated from this Agricultural School endowment the sum of £1182 for buildings for School of Art and for the College .£3372. (Mr Stevens' Bill provides for the repayment of these sums, i.e., £7554); In 1876, the Board of Governors appointed a SubCommittee to administer the trust, and they expended about £17,500 in the purchase of land, £30,500 on school buildings, and about £3500 on farm buildings, in all about .£53,500, of which £28,000 was borrowed money, and bears interest at 7 per cent. The land, buildings, and arrangements seem to be thoroughly suitable for the purposes required, and offer ample facilities for a large number of Btudents. Unfortunately, the public of late have not taken advantage of the training offered. In 1880, the school opened with sixteen students ; in 1882 the number had risen to thirty-eight, necessitating an enlargement of the buildings. The number had, in 1889, fallen away again to sixteen. This falling off in the attendance was no doubt the outcome of the rise in fees. In 1881, when there were forty-one students, the fee was £40. In 1884 this was raised to £45, and again in 1885 the fees were raised to £65 per annum, and the Btudents had dwindled down again, as £ have said, to sixteen in 1889. As you are aware, the unsatisfactory working of the school led to a Commission being appointed to investigate the whole matter, and it is chiefly upon their report that the Hon Mr Stevens bases his Bill, which I have asked you to consider. I may,, say that when the j school first started, there were six scholarships attached .to the school, ! but these were done away with. The Commission are strongly of opinion that these should be reinstated ; with this Mr Ivey, the Director, thoroughly coincides. The unsatisfactory working of the school Beems to arise entirely from the high fees charged of late years, and loss of scholarships. These are aggravated to some extent by the general depression throughout the Colony, but there is no reason why an institution so richly endowed should not be able to give the necessary theoretical and practical training at a much less cost than has been ruling in the past, and yet still maintain its efficiency. Should this Act pass the House it will be our privilege to aid in , the advancement of one of the moßt important branches of education that a Colony can undertake/ The draft of a Bill, entitled an "Act to provide for 1 the management of the Lincoln School of Agriculture," to be presented to Parliament by the Hon E. C. J. Stevens, was discussed at length, and a number of alterations were suggested. TBE GBOUNDB. The following recommendation was presented by the Committee .appointed to consider the question of raising necessary funds for works : on Association's grounds :— That .the Association issue fifteen debentures of £100 each, bearing interest at the rate of 7 per cent, and repayable in ten yearß. That a Special Committee, be appointed, consisting of six members, three of whom shall be elected by the bond-holders, and three (non-bond-holders) elected: by the Association, with power to expend the proceeds of the debentures in the erection of a grand stand, to levy rates for admission to the stand, and to the rooms attached thereto, &o." The report was adopted, and the meeting adjourned,