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facts concerning ihe nature and scope of this work. Practical men will 
appreciate all this when I tell you that at the outset we had not an acre of 
ground we could call our own in the sense of complete occupation. We had not 
a single field, not a building upon the place except a rude hut on the banks of 
the Lockyer; and when we came here on the Ist of January, we had to turn 
our teams out and go to work with one eye regulating the work and the other 
on the horses for fear they would escape. So that there were not a few 
difficulties to encounter. That leads me to a statement of what has been done 
in this time. Almost exactly a year ago to-day the work was begun on this 
building. The contract was let in June, and the work began shortly after- 
wards. -These buildings speak for themselves; they show you very considerable 
buildings which were erected under the contract system. We have this, the 
main College building, which has a library, two lecture-rooms, a third detached 
and three considerable offices, with a broad veranda which surrounds the whole. 
The veranda is all available class-room. We have three dormitories, which we 
label A, B, C. They have accommodation for sixty pupils and bachelor teachers. 
Then we have the dining-hall which you have just now occupied. They are all 
very complete and quite satisfactory. All this, however, is quite outside 
of my particular work, which has been the improvement of the farm. I 
wish to call your attention to what has been done in this particular 
line. We have put up since November, I think, all told, between 
twelye and thirteen miles of fencing. Seven miles of this is of top-rail and 
8-barbed wire. This is a very good fence, as I am sure you will all say. 
We believe in good work. Good fences enable one to sleep nights. They 
conduce to friendly relations with one’s neighbours, and an investment in good 
fences is never repented. We have two miles of top-rail fence and three miles 
of proper fence without barbed wire. These fences fairly meet present 
requirements, although they leave rather large paddocks. We ultimately 
expect to have a road from the station through the estate round the Lockyer, 
so that there will be a means of communication between the Lockyer and the 
railway. It will involve much planning and road-making, but we expect to do 
it by.students’ labour. We have made certain permanent improvements in the 
line of buildings. The stables which you have seen are’51 feet by 21 feet, and 
give accommodation for eight horses. Thereis a large room and a small room, 
bays for wagons, and a storeroom for grain and hay. Then we have a ‘ silo” 
measuring 12 fect by 16 feet, having 16-feet posts and a capacity for 60 tons 
of ensilage. Inasmuch as a cow will consume about a cubic foot of ensilage 
per day, you can figure out—those of you who are of a calculating turn of 
mind—how much feed there is in this particular building. Then, too, we have 
the men’s quarters, which many of you, perhaps, have inspected. It is designed 
for the accommodation of bachelor labourers, and has convenience for six men 
at the present time. We have, in additior, the cowsheds, a building 35 feet by 
82 feet, giving accommodation for fifteen head of stock. ‘These have been con- 
structed hastily, to meet present requirements, but I believe they cover no 
regrets. I believe they are a substantial class of building, which will meet the 
future needs of the school. Your Excellency, Mr. Thynne, and Gentlemen—In 
all our plans and calculations in respect to this school, we have proceeded with 
the idea foremost that the school must, as soon as: possible, in all practical 
respects, be self-sustaining ; that we must here, upon the place, grow our own 
potatoes, veyetables, maize, wheat, and hay, so that we may be a seif-sustaining 
community. (Applause.) Thisidea has been impressed upon me by the Minister, 
and has been cordially echoed by me to subalterns of all grades. (Applause.) 
You have noticed the cultivation areas below. That all has been undertaken 
with the view of meeting our present needs, and has no reference to markets 
outside. We shall, 1 hope, soon make our own butter, and it will no doubt 
interest you to know that we begin kiJling our own beef next week. We hope 
very soon indeed to meet our own requirements in respect to the things which 
goto maintain animal existence. So much, Your Excellency, for this particular 
branch of our duties and responsibilities. There is one other matter I wish to 
