Report of Society's Meetings. 145 
Mr. Hargreaves brought forward the motion of which 
he gave notice in June, 1898 : — "That this Society com- 
municate with the Government, with a view to ascer- 
taining whether arrangements cannot be made to train 
youths at the Botanic Gardens, under the supervision of 
the Government Botanist and his assistants, in Agricul- 
ture and Horticulture, under a system of Apprentice- 
ship." 
Mr. Hargreaves said that the motion had been delayed 
partly on account of the late Mr. Jacob Conrad's motion for 
an Agricultural School. That proje6l, he thought, would 
hardly be desirable under the depressed financial condition 
of the Colony, but he thought they might use such 
institutions as at present existed. They had an excellent 
school in Queen's College for training boys for profes- 
sions which were already over-crowded, but he thought 
something more might be done to fit young men for the 
battle of life. Thanks to Professor Harrison, chemistry 
was now being taught at the College, but he had not 
heard of any other science-teaching. In the Government 
Botanist they had a man well-known as an expert, yet it 
appeared to him that no effort had been put forth to 
teach agriculture. His motion was cautiously worded, 
but its scope might be enlarged to include the Govern- 
ment Laboratory and Queen's College, as well as the 
Botanic Gardens. If they adopted his suggestion little 
expense would be incurred, and he thought that the 
Society should move in the matter before it be forced 
upon them. For an agricultural education, he thought 
it necessary to give a ground-work of chemistry, botany 
and geology, with knowledge of soils. Some of the 
scholarships might be diverted to agriculture and science, 
G2 
