B54 - REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE, ETC. 
‘The comparatively newly-settled state-of this country brings its own special 
problems; but the distinction between the two countries in this respect is apt to be 
exaggerated rather than under-estimated. The predominant type of farming in New 
Zealand is dairying, and the typical holding is not large in area. Thus, of the holdings 
of more than ten acres, well over 50 per cent. comprise less than 200 acres, while less 
than 10 per cent. exceed 1,000 acres. There is a well-defined tendency towards closer 
settlement, and here, as in most agricultural countries, future progress undoubtedly 
depends upon the success with which intensive methods of cultivation are applied to 
relatively limited areas of land. The problems which to an increasing extent demand 
attention are the application of scientific processes to agriculture, the more extensive 
use of labour-saving machinery, and the devising of economical methods of transport 
and marketing. These problems are, of course, by no means peculiar to New Zealand, 
and your inquiry may, as suggested, be answered in general terms as above. 
‘The express limitation of the field of your inquiry to secondary schools makes 
one hesitate to suggest courses of instruction which will more fittingly find a place in 
the curriculum of schools of other and more specialised types. The following subjects 
are mentioned as indicating directions in which, to a greater or less degree, it might 
be possible to bring education into closer touch with the problems confronting settlers 
in this country. A number of references are given to publications which show in 
some detail the course of instruction attempted in the respective subjects : 
‘ Agriculture ; The syllabus prescribed for the Matriculation Examination and 
University Entrance Scholarships (New Zealand University Calendar, pages 16 
and 37), and for the Public Service Entrance Examination (Pamphlet N.4, page 13), 
fairly describe the work undertaken by advanced pupils. At pages 56-61 of the 
Pamphlet N.8 will be found a description of the subject, Nature Study, as taught 
in our public schools ; while these are elementary schools, it may be noted that in 
general they provide education for children up to the age of about fourteen years, 
or some two years in advance of the English elementary schools. 
‘Woodwork, Metalwork, and related subjects are defined at pages 21-24 of the 
Pamphlet N.9. The University Calendar (page 170, ef seg.) sets out similar 
subjects of an advanced nature. These are for the most part beyond the reasonable 
requirements of a secondary school, but the courses there prescribed for the degrees 
of Bachelor of Engineering and of Agriculture will in some measure illustrate the 
adaptation to New Zealand conditions of the subjects prescribed. 
‘ Arithmetic and Book-keeping : It is evident that these subjects, both of them 
essential to the farmer, can well be given a bent in the direction of touching rural 
problems rather than the somewhat restricted field of commercial operations to 
which they are commonly confined. 
‘ Hume Science: In view of the general recognition already given to this subject, 
it is scarcely necessary to stress its importance beyond stating that the arguments 
favouring its inclusion in girls’ education apply with special force in the case of 
the persons for whose benefit your inquiry has been undertaken.’ 
AUSTRALIA.—The Director of Education for New South Wales writes that the 
type of education best suited for boys for overseas life are those provided by our 
Rural and Junior Technical Schools. The courses of education provided at these 
schools are briefly described hereunder, and the Director says: ‘I am confident that 
if these courses are introduced into England, they will provide the boy who intends 
later on to seek his fortune in this land with the basis of an education that will be 
considerably helpful to him in either the rural or industrial life of the State.’ 
The Rural Course of Instruction is specially designed for boys and girls associated 
with rural life, the aim being to impart to the pupils a manual and scientific training 
which will be decidedly helpful in enabling them to grapple with the economic and 
social problems which are inseparable from our present-day rural and agricultural 
vocations. 
The course extends over a period of three years, and the instruction, which is 
super-primary in nature, is given to those pupils who have completed the ordinary 
course prescribed for the primary school. The subjects taught include elementary 
agriculture, agricultural nature study, applied farm mechanics (carpentry, black- 
smithing, plumbing) and rural economics for boys. The girls attending the schools 
are provided with a complete course in domestic science and horticulture. 
The course at the Junior Technical Schools extends over a period of three years, 
emphasis being given to general subjects with the anticipation that, at the end of 
