13

E.—7a

The accounts are kept so clearly that a profit-and-loss account could be made out without difficulty. 180. Has an annual profit-and-loss account been submitted to the Board?—l am not able to say whether this has been done; but the items have been kept so distinct that such an account could be made out. 181. Do you think two years sufficiently long for the course at the school?—I should think a third year would be very valuable. A good many of the students are young, and liable not at first to appreciate the advantages of the institution. My opinion is that a third year is not at all too much. A great deal is taught, and a great deal of time is required to learn the different subjects. 182. Can you give any idea why the attendance has fallen off so much? —I think one reason is that the expense of maintaining a boy there is felt to be more than people can afford in the bad times we have had. Another reason probably is that farming has not been considered a very profitable undertaking to put boys to. Then there is a great want of knowledge as to what can be learned there. The public are not yet aware of the advantages of the institution, and have an idea that all that it is necessary for their boys to know can be learned on their own places. In order to make the institution as acceptable as possible, the Board has paid the passages of students from a distance, so that all parts of the colony may be on the same footing, and we have now a very large proportion of students from other parts of New Zealand. The students are nearly all from outside Canterbury at present. 183. Do you think that if the Board were to keep the students and utilise the produce of the farm, it would be more economical than the present mode of boarding them? —There would be this difficulty about it: you would have to let it to a caterer. If you put some one there to manage the catering the Board would have all the risks attendant upon it, and I question whether you could do any better. 184. Would there be any more difficulty than on a large farm or station?— There might not be; but I know that the Board and Mr. Ivey have frequently considered the matter very carefully, and would be glad to make any change if it could be done with any prospect of success. 185. Do you consider so large a sum as £100 is necessary for entertaining visitors? —The school is visited by a great number of people, and it is considered that the Director should not bs put to the expense of entertaining them. The cost has been inquired into by the Board, and not considered excessive. 186. Do yoii think that if the farm-examiners were associated with the School of Agriculture Committee, or if their duties extended to the examination of the farm-accounts, better results would be obtained ?—I have no doubt that the advice of practical agriculturalists like the examiners would be of inestimable value to the committee and to the Board. You are aware that, owing to the system of electing the Board, the probability of agriculturalists being elected is very slight. I think that, if the Canterbury College is to continue to administer the affairs of the school, the assistance of practical agriculturalists would be of great value to the Board. They could only act as advisers —they would have no power. 187. Mr. Murphy.'] Do you consider that the instruction given at the Canterbury College is of sufficient value, from an agricultural point of view, to justify charging the School of Agriculture with a proportion of the cost ? —I am not prepared to say that it is; but at present, as I understand, only a contribution is made towards the Registrar's office. You have not, I think, put the most important question of all, how to make the institution more useful. I think there should be scholarships in connection with the education system of the colony ; that the School of Agriculture should be erected into an institution of the highest colonial importance. Agriculture is likely to be a more important industry in this colony than in any other. By adopting some scheme of scholarships we might keep the institution full of students, and confer one of the greatest benefits you could imagine on the country, instead of permitting it to remain as it is now. The use made of the institution is out of all proportion to the expenditure, and the advantages to be gained are unknown not only to the colony, but to this locality. All who have visited the place are impressed with its efficiency. I have arrived at this conclusion after full consideration, and am every day more impressed with the importance of such a change being made. Ido not think the Canterbury College could provide the scholarships ; but it would be a proper thing for the colony to do so. The Government would, of course, in that case have to be represented on the management. I think it was a purely accidental circumstance that the management of the institution was intrusted to the Canterbury College. The conclusion is irresistible that under the existing system the institution cannot be popular and fully successful. Whether a Board partly nominated by Government and partly chosen by leading agricultural societies, with a local committee of supervision selected by that Board, would be the best organization or not, is a matter for careful consideration. If the general principle were settled, difficulties in settling the details would not, I think, be insuperable. The institution should be brought into touch with the Legislature and the people of the colony, and measures taken to make it a great colonial institution. Mr. F. D. S. Neave examined. 188. The Chairman.] You are one of the Governors of Canterbury College ?—Yes. 189. You were chairman of a special committee appointed last year to inquire into the management of the School of Agriculture ?—Yes. 190. Did your inquiry apply to the management of the farm, or to the internal ai'rangements of the school ? —Not so much to the farm : we considered the farm very well managed, except that much too much labour was employed, and that boys were overpaid for their work. The boys sent in their own returns of work, and no one checked their time, &c. There seemed to be a great want of discipline. [Copy of the committee's report attached (Appendix X).]