AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17579, 24 May 1919, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

HOSTEL FOR STUDENTS WANTED.

A FEILDING REQUEST

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, May 23

A deputation from the Feilding district waited on the Hon. Hanan to-day to urge .farther Government assistance towards the building of a hostel in connection with the new technical school about to be erected in Feilding.

Hon. Guthrie, in introducing the deputation, said they already had ten acres, which they were prepared to give the Department, and were about to add another ten acres, ami in return they looked to the Government to supply the necessary money for buildings. The people of -he district were desirous that the young people should have facilities provided for them to take1 an agricultural courseat the Technical School. In order to do this, the hostel was needed, as students from a distance must have somewhere to stay. So they asked that the grant should be increased to cover the cost v of the hostel. The people of the^ district were willing to help themselves, and local bodies were prepared to assist. One local body had promised £300, and all others were prepared to do likewise if the hostel were provided, so that their children could take advantage of the agricultural course.

Hon. Hanan said the point the deputation had made was of interest throughout New Zealand. The .Government so far had not favoured giving assistance in the erection of hostels in connection with technical schools, but the Department woula look into the matter when the new proposals respecting technical schools were under consideration. Ha was endeavouring to ascertain what sum would be required if Cabinet sanctioned an extension of financial assistance. Ha congratulated the people of the "district on the spirit of self-help they displayed. A vote had been granted for the school, but he did not think it would be sufficient to meet the type of building that should be erected, owing to the high cost of material and labour. A proposa* had been placed before him the previous day involving the expenditure of half a million, and another proposal to include kindergarten work in our national system of education, his Department assured him would cost about £200,000 a year. What the deputation stressed about agricultural education appealed to Mm. Early next month he was calling a conference, to be held in Wellington, of all lecturers and instructors in connection with agriculture for the purpose of formulating a complete scheme of education, the desire being tc place agricultural education on a better footing and made more efficient. They had heard a lot about town-planning, but a good deal might be said fofr making the country more attractive, and so arresting the drift towards towns.