558 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION 02. 



not active. Here, however, climatic conditions vary. Despite 

 these we adhere to the old system. Climatic conditions are not 

 comparable. With the rapid advent of summer towards the end 

 of the year farming operations are self-evident and urgently acute. 

 Students and staff alike are busily engaged in harvesting and the 

 other urgent farm work. At this period we are pestered with dust, 

 flies and mosquitoes, and a rising, uncomfortable temperature. 

 Thus with enforced extra work on the farm and abnormal natural 

 conditions students are compelled to submit themselves to the 

 crucial practical and theoretical test of their lives. On this the 

 certificates of competency are awarded. It would be more 

 sensible to hold the annual examinations in June each year. 



The University has made excellent provision for training 

 students through to the Bachelor of Science degree in Agri- 

 culture. From this somxe we will derive our much needed 

 army of science teachers and research workers. 



Apart from this system of training the lad from the primary 

 school to the university, other souices of acquiring agricultural 

 training have been founded under varied conditions. Our experi- 

 ment farms are developing schools for training in farm work, 

 and relieve to a great extent the tension on the college, more 

 especially where a lad's preliminary education is weak, and his 

 training will equip him for the heavy or laborious side of farm life. 



Apprentice schools and other means of making provision for 

 training are now being organised. The advent of the winter 

 school has proved an effective response to a demand from farmers 

 already settled on the land. Provision is made at the Hawkesbury 

 College during the ordinary mid-winter vacation, when busy 

 farmers have spare time available. Here they assemble for one 

 month in residence and take up training in any section of farm 

 work likely to be of service to them. This school is becoming very 

 popular, and evidently has proved useful, seeing that every winter 

 the numbers increase. 



Another aspect of agricultiu'al education in Australia de- 

 manding public attention is the low salaries offered to teachers 

 of agricultmal science and practice. Adequate salaries are not 

 offered to attract the best men, who find other avenues more 

 profitable. We require trained experts possessing special ability, 

 enthusiasm, and pedagogic instincts. 



We labour under a serious disability in this direction. It is 

 often noted that large sums of money are readily made available 

 for buildings, stock and equipment, but when the question of 

 a proper remuneration is raised the tendency is to keep salaries 

 down to such an ebb that it is difficult to secure the services of a 

 competent staff, and no encouragement is offered to enter the 

 service. 



Teachers frequently meet instances where their pupils are 

 enjoying the results of their skill and training in a much more 

 profitable manner. 



