A.—7

10

the kind of produce exported from it, New Zealand is likely to be as little affected by the reduction in the purchasing-power of Europe as any other part of the world. As regards the purchase of low-priced and high-priced land, everything depends upon the returns to be obtained, and it frequently happens that so-called cheap land is proportionately dearer than the more expensive. In a little book on Dairying*, referred to with approval by the Department of Agriculture, the author says, " The purchase of the best land for dairying cannot be too highly recommended even at the high prices ruling. The author knows instances of men on 50 acres of good dairying-land paying a rental of £4 per acre and yet making £500 a year, whilst others on a like area can only just make both ends meet when paying little or no rent." The statement is made with reference to land for dairying, but it is equally applicable to other classes of farming. It is significant that nearly the whole of the land the Government has for disposal is low-priced. The better land is soon taken up despite the higher prices charged, while the poorer land remains unsold. VI. AGRICULTURE. 19. Departmental Activities. —The Government is actively engaged in opening up the country, affording people opportunities of establishing themselves upon the land, and in promoting the interests of the pastoral and agricultural industries through the Department of Lands and Agriculture and other agencies. The Lands and Survey Department, which is naturally of great importance in a young country ike New Zealand, is efficient and helpful. We had the pleasure of meeting many of its officers and of travelling through their areas with them, and were impressed with their knowledge of the country and of the circumstances of the settlers upon the Crown lands. The Department is responsible for land-drainage, and as the result of its operations in that direction large areas of most fertile land have been rendered available for occupation, and other areas are in process of reclamation. The Department of Agriculture is well organized and has an earnest and highly competent staff, with a professional officer at its head, and is rendering good service to the country. The safeguarding from diseases of the live-stock of the country, and the promotion of the export of meat, dairy, and other produce naturally occupy its principal attention, but it is becoming increasingly helpful to the farmers in many other ways. Excellent work, though somewhat limited on account of the restricted facilities available, is being done by the Chemical, Biological, and other Sections. No provision is made for higher agricultural education by the State, this being left to the Canterbury Agricultural College, which, though independent of the Government, was originally established and endowed by the State. The Department is doing a good deal in the way of advising and instructing farmers, however, through the medium of the Head Office; and of a number of itinerant instructors who are stationed at various centres throughout the Dominion, and it also maintains several experimental and demonstration farms. It was possible to inspect only one of the " State farms," as they are called- that at Ruakura, near Hamilton, in the North Island. It would be, difficult to find one better laid out or equipped, more fertile, or better managed. According to information placed before us, the other farms are equal in excellence. If this is so, the Department and those in charge of them are much to be congratulated. After the war the farms were used as training-centres for returned soldiers, for which purpose they are admirably adapted. At the present time they are being utilized in connection with the provision of short courses for youths, as well as for the instruction of farmers and school-teachers. These courses are very popular and cannot fail to be helpful to all who can attend them. If the delegation be permitted to offer a suggestion they would recommend that the scientific and educational work of the Department should be extended. It is true that a good deal has already been done in that direction and that more is under consideration. The quality of the work done is excellent, but the provision for it appears to be still short of the needs of the country. Scientific work is fundamental in character, and, as with other industries, and perhaps to a greater extent than with many of them, the progress of agriculture depends upon the success achieved by the scientist in investigating the basic problems connected with the industry, and by the administrator and educationalist in utilizing and making known the lessons to be learnt from those researches. The foundations for the extension recommended have already been well laid in the Department at Wellington and at the State farms. The latter in particular appeared to afford exceptional opportunities for agricultural education and research, and it is to be hoped that by the extension of their scientific and educational staffs and expansion in other directions it may be possible to make; full use of the advantages offered. As has been said, agricultural education is provided at the Canterbury Agricultural College, near Lincoln, in the South Island. This institution, with great forethought, was founded and endowed by the Provincial Government of Canterbury in 1880. It is thus amongst the oldest of the Agricultural Colleges in the British Dominions. The College is managed by a Board of Governors and maintained by the endowments made by the Provincial Government and by revenue from the farm and students' fees. There is accommodation for fifty-one students. The College buildings are good, and the grounds very attractive. The College has two farms, one—-in the centre of which it is situated — consisting of 1,000 acres of very fine land, and another lighter sheep farm of 1,500 acres. There is

* Page 18, " Dairy-farming in New Zealand," by W. IX Powdrell, M.P., Wellington, 1922.