THE CHAMBER'S COMMITTEE 333 



they would not be so well off under the new system as under 

 the old. 



The Education Committee of the Council, which has been 

 annually re-elected since 1908 under the chairmanship of Mr. 

 Christopher Turnor, has presented reports which the Council 

 have adopted on 12th February, 1912, 16th July, 1912, and 

 15th July, 1913. These have chiefly dealt with the estab- 

 lishment of farm institutes, their equipment and adminis- 

 tration, in order that a sound agricultural education may be 

 brought more within the reach of the sons of the average 

 farmer ; and they have urged upon the Development Com- 

 mission and the Board of Agriculture the necessity of more 

 liberal treatment than has been given to local Education 

 Authorities in the past. 



The report dated 15th July, 1913, expressed satisfaction 

 with the excellent work done by the Rural Education Con- 

 ference, and contained the following paragraphs : 



If this system is to be effective in future the treatment by the 

 Central Authorities must be very different from what it has 

 been in the past (vide Cd. 4569). Ordinary elementary education 

 earns approximately 50 per cent, grants from the Board of 

 Education. Technical education beneficial to urban industries 

 can earn still larger grants. But agricultural education, i.e., 

 education beneficial to agriculture and given after the elementary 

 school, earns only 15 per cent, grants on the total expenditure. 

 And in this 15 per cent, is included the Government grants to 

 the agricultural colleges ; so that the counties in reality only 

 receive some 10 per cent, in grants towards their total expendi- 

 ture on agricultural education. 



The mere statement of the above facts is sufficient to show the 

 very grave injustice that agriculturists have for years been suffer- 

 ing in respect of grants towards education beneficial to agricul- 

 ture. Your Committee hope that the Council will unanimously 

 express their opinion in regard to this injustice, and will insist, 

 and continue to insist, that the authorities responsible for agri- 

 cultural education shall receive grants from the National 

 Exchequer at least equivalent to those earned by technical 

 instruction beneficial to other industries. 



On 23rd July, 1913, the Council sent representatives to 

 support a deputation to the President of the Board of Agri- 

 culture to urge again that much larger grants should be given 

 by the Central Authority for agricultural education, and in 



