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completed system of agricultural edueation, In every country—not only in 
Europe and America, but in almost all civilised countries—special pains have 
been taken in giving the rising generation facilities for obtaining knowledge 
in the art of agriculture. There is scarcely any industry in countries like 
Australia, great as their progress has been—I do not limit it to agriculture— 
that is not in need of, and would not be the better of, a scientific and thorough 
education of the people employed in it, (Applause.) Although I set great. 
store on the necessity of advancing agricultural education, I do hope the efforts 
of the Government: will not be limited to that. branch of industry. » In pre- 
senting these students to Your Excellency to-day, I cannot ask you to: speak 
to them without feeling a-great amount of grave anxiety asito the future these 
young men have to make for themselves, I look upon them as the pioneers 
of what I hope will become an army of agriculturists, who will in the future, 
instead of engaging in bloody battles, fight peaceful ones for the development 
of this magnificent country we have at our disposal. (Applause.) We who 
haye, most of us, gone through the battle of life cannot but look with fatherly 
interest and goodwill upon the young men who are now commencing to 
pursue their course. I ask you now, Your Excellency, to declare this institution 
open. 
P His Excerrency said: Mr. Thynne, Principal Shelton, and Gentlemen,— 
I have indeed great pleasure in being here to-day, and at having had an 
opportunity of inspecting this institution. I think what I say will not be 
regarded as over-complimentary—for my opinion, I think, will be endorsed by 
others who like myself have come as strangers to the place—when I say that it 
is wonderful what has been done in the short space of time mentioned by Pro- 
fessor Shelton. Further, having inquired into what is the organisation and the 
proposed system of instruction, it seems to meto be most complete, most thorough. 
1 understand that every conceivable branch of agriculture will be thoroughly 
developed, and that: training will be afforded for those anxious to undertake 
eyen the minor industries of poultry and bee keeping. It pleases me to see 
what comfortable, and at the same time what modest and simple, buildings 
haye-been erected for the resident students; also I observed in the various 
rooms that notices have been fixed indicating that, without undue severity of 
laws, there is to be a certain amount of disciplinary provision. I think it is 
interesting to know, as I understand from the Minister of Agriculture, that 
three days a week are to be devoted to lectures and what I might call book- 
work, and three days to manual or field work. The three days in the field are, 
LT understand, to be a financial recompense for the instruction that is given to 
the students on the other three days, and it is very gratifying to hear from 
Professor Shelton that the institution is to be self-supporting. The most 
important thing of all is the magnificent area of land which js attached to 
these buildings—an area, I understand, far larger than is possessed by any 
other agricultural college in the neighbouring colonies, chiefly so because we 
rejoice in large areas. It is a further particular advantage that within the 
1,700 acres around us you have three distinctive features of soil. First 
of all, you have rich land which can be easily cultivated; then the 
poorer land, such as these buildings have been erected upon, and which 
ought to afford useful lessons as to the best means of deriving profit 
from inferior soils ; and again between us and the railway station is a marshy 
tract where valuable instruction may be given in systems of drainage and go 
on. I think the Government of Queensland have taken a right step in bringing 
about the establishment of such an institution.as this. I understand it is the 
first College in Queensland, and very rightly the inauguration of the first college 
iu Queensland should be that connected’ with agriculture, upon wliich this 
country is bound to look inthe future as its great mainstay and most: productive 
industry. In these days, when we seek world-wide markets; success “in 
competition depends upon two primary factors: Oneis that your goods should 
be of the first quality; and another, that they shouldbe produced at the lowest 
possible cost. ‘These are the tivo necessary factors, in regard to competition) 
