H.—29b

6

the advantage of hearing the opinions of the four University College Councils on the subject. The Board paid a visit to Canterbury Agricultural College, inspecting the buildings, meeting the staff, and inquiring as to its needs. The Board's meetings were adjourned at Christchurch on the 19th March, and members returned home. To complete the itinerary the Board reassembled at Waipawa on the 22nd April, in order to take evidence from Hawke's Bay witnesses, and to visit the Smedley Estate, which was bequeathed to the Crown by the late Mr. Josiak Howard for agricultural education. Returning to Wellington on the 23rd April, the Board inspected the Biological Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture at Kelburn, and later the Wallaceville Laboratory and farm. The remainder of the time in Wellington was spent in the consideration and final adoption of the report. The Board concluded its sittings on this inquiry on the 27th April. In order to be in a position to answer the questions in the order of reference it was first necessary for the Board to ascertain officially the extent and quality of the provision now made by the Departments of Agriculture and Education by way of agricultural instruction. Representatives of each Department were invited to give evidence, and submitted full information, which is summarized in the preface to this report. Having in mind that the schools are the nurseries of future farmers, farm training-college pupils, and University students in agriculture, the Board went fully into their relation to agriculture, with a view to discovering not only the extent to which subjects relating to the agricultural industry were taken in the schools, but more particularly as to how far the general curricula of the schools and the work of the teachers were directed towards fostering an understanding and love of country life and country occupations ; how far, in short, the education system was being used to oppose the " drift to the town." In this connection the evidence showed that though agriculture was taken seriously in many of the secondary schools, and though considerable sums had in many cases been spent on laboratories and equipment, yet on the whole agriculture was not a popular subject, various reasons being assigned by different witnesses to account for this disconcerting fact. The Board was thus led to a consideration of various matters not definitely included in the order of reference, but having a direct bearing on the question of agricultural education. In regard to some of these the Board would like to express its opinion. Before doing so, however, it will endeavour to give answers to the specific questions set out in the order of reference. Definition of Terms. During the course of the inquiry it became evident that much misconception existed in regard to the various teaching institutions, and the Board considered that it would be well to define the meaning of the names adopted in this report as follows : — In the recommendations of the Board — College of Agriculture means a college either associated with a University College or an institution recognized by the University Senate. It would in either case be under the government of a Council associated with the Senate, for the purpose of— (i.) Training students in the science of agriculture so that they may become teachers or instructors, or (ii.) Permitting those who intend to become farmers to take a course leading to a diploma or degree if they so desire, or (iii.) Carrying on " extension classes " for farmers, teachers, or others interested in the industry of agriculture. Farm Training College, or vocational school, means a farm school under the control of the Department of Agriculture, or any properly representative authority which may be established by the Government for the purpose of training students desirous of becoming farmers, well equipped with a knowledge of the principles of scientific agriculture as applied to the work of practical farming in all its branches. Agricultural High School means a technical high school established under the control of a Board of Managers on which Board the Education Board of the district is represented, for the purpose of training pupils leaving the primary school and wishing to study the science of agriculture in conjunction with the subjects of a general secondary education. Primary school means a public school managed by a School Committee under the Education Board of the district, in which primary instruction is given, including training the pupils to take an interest in agricultural matters by means of nature-study and observation. Question (a.) —What new agricultural training institution or institutions are required in order to provide facilities in accordance with the Dominion's present day requirements for the efficient training of (i) Students desirous of taking a University degree in agriculture fitting them fully to become either instructors or research workers in agriculture ? In discussing this question the Board was confronted by the difficulty that whereas on the one hand three University Schools of Agriculture are now recognized by the University of New Zealand (two in the North Island having been recently approved by the Senate, in addition to the Canterbury School of Agriculture at Lincoln, which has been recognized for many years), on the other hand it was overwhelmingly clear from the evidence brought forward that one fully equipped School of Agriculture of University rank could easily provide for a much larger output of trained experts with degrees in agricultural science than would probably be required to cope with the demand for many years to come.