E.—7a

8

39. What fees have been charged to students?—ln 1880, £41 10s. per annum. In 1884 the amount was raised to £46 10s., and in 1885 to £65, which is the amount now charged. These charges include £1 10s. per annum for nurse and needlewoman. 40. Why were the fees raised ?—Upon the recommendation of the Committee. 41. How are students boarded, and at what cost per head?— The Director is allowed £45 per head for boarding students, to include attendance and washing. 42. Have the Board of Governors or the Committee been in the habit of visiting the school ?— Occasionally, but not at any stated times. 43. How many scholarships have been taken up ?—Bight students held scholarships at various periods. 44. What is the extent of the endowment of the School of Agriculture ?—The area was supposed to be about 100,000 acres, but is actually 93,555 acres 3 roods 18 perches. 45. How much has been sold ? —40,089 acres 3 roods 18 perches. 46. What rate of interest has been received for the proceeds of the land sold ?—The amount received from land-sales is credited with interest at the rate of 7 per cent.; but this is subject to several charges, such as loss on debit balance, money on deposit at bank, &c, money required for current expenditure, &c. 47. What is the net rate, after providing for these charges, for the last year? —Very nearly of per cent.

Thuesday, 14th Febbuaby, 1889. Mr. W. E. Ivey examined. 48. The Chairman.] You are Director of the School of Agriculture ? —Yes. 49. What are your qualifications ?—I entered Cirencester College in 1858, and became a member of the College in 1860; then took charge of a large farm of 550 acres of my father's, which I subsequently managed on my own account. In 1867 I came to New Zealand, bought land, and had some experience in the North Island, but in consequence of the Maori war left for Victoria. After doing some newspaper-work for agricultural papers I was appointed Chemist, &c, to the Department of Agriculture in 1873, and later Secretary to the Central State Forest Board, under which appointment I had nearly the whole control of the State forests. I was later selected to value the capabilities of land under the Land-tax Act, and was appointed to take charge of the Dookie Agricultural College'when I accepted my present appointment, in 1878. lam a Fellow of the Chemical Society and of the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain. 50. What are the terms of your appointment ? —I was appointed at a salary of £600 per annum, with residence and keep of a horse. I was to cater for twenty students at £50 per annum. No length of term was stipulated for. 51. What powers are conferred upon you?—No specific powers. I have the whole management of the farm, the staff, and the students —in fact, full control of the establishment except as to finances. I have to submit estimates to the Board of Governors annually, and to keep the expenditure within the amounts voted. Appointments on the staff are made by the Board on my recommendation, but I employ the labour necessary for the farm. 52. In what way does the Board of Governors exercise supervision?— Not much supervision, except financially. I requisition for all requirements, such as implements, &c, and make recommendations to the Board on such matters as I think should be brought under their notice. These have to be approved or otherwise. The Board exercises very little or any supervision over the farm. 53. Does the Board visit the school at stated periods, or is there a special Committee of Management? —Not at stated periods, and not often enough to exercise supervision. There is a committee of the Board to look after the school. 54. Who, besides yourself, are on the staff?— (a.) In the school—Mr. G. Gray, chemistry and physics ; Mr. E. Wilkinson, natural science, mathematics, land-surveying, and levelling; Mr. E. C. Buckley, book-keeping and meteorology; Mr. J. Hill, veterinary science. Mr. Buckley keeps the farm-books, (b.) On the farm—Head ploughman; has charge of stables ; his chief work consists in setting students to work with horses, teaching them to plough and to do other horse-work: a labourer, who helps to feed the horses, keep the stables, &c., and does ordinary laboxirer's work on the farm, orchard, &c.: engine-driver, who does everything connected with the engine, chaff-cutting, corn-crushing, &c, works on the farm when required, and does any work connected with watersupply, drains, and anything in connection with the College : dairyman, to look after dairy and stock; man, at times, to cut drains, ditches, and do other work of that nature. 55. What wages are paid?— Head ploughman, £2 a week ; engine-driver, £2 a week ; ordinary labourer, £1 10s. a week; stockman and wife, £2 ss. 6d. a week; labourer, 6s. a day when employed. Cottages are found for all the men, but they keep themselves. 56. What time is required to keep the farm-books?— Very little. A return I furnished to a special committee of the Board, dated the Ist November, 1887, will give the particulars [Appendix I]. 57. Is the present arrangement of the staff suitable?-—I do not think it is, and would refer the Commission to my letter to the Board dated the 28th September, 1880 [Appendix H]. The first year I took agriculture and chemistry myself. The next year a lecturer in chemistry, Mr. Barkas, was appointed, and later Mr. Kirk was appointed Lecturer in Botany, &c. Subsequently, from motives of economy, the staff was rearranged as at present. 58. Did any of the professors of the Canterbury College assist ?—Yes : before Mr. Kirk was appointed Professor Hutton lectured on botany, and the School of Agriculture paid half his salary.