§ MR. COBB (Warwick, S.E., Rugby)I beg to ask the Minister for Agriculture whether the Government intend to carry out the recommendation contained in the Report of the Departmental Commission on Agricultural and Dairy Schools, which was printed and distributed in February, 1888, that a Central Normal School of Agriculture, provided and maintained by the State, should be established in the neighbourhood of Rugby?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordYes, Sir; undoubtedly the Government propose to take steps to promote technical education in agriculture, in dairy farming, I may say, and some of the minor branches of agricultural industry in particular, which would seem to present a considerable opening for the development of agricultural education. I regret, however, that owing to the press of many other matters awaiting the attention of a new Department, the Board has been unable to formulate, and I am not in a position to lay before the hon. Member a complete scheme upon the subject which is now under our attentive consideration. He is doubtless aware that we have at our disposal at present a grant of £5,000 a year. That grant has hitherto been distributed on the principle of helping schools which have shown a disposition to help themselves in the matter of agricultural education, and the Reports which I receive of the results are so satisfactory and encouraging, that it is to the increase and development of that system that I look at present, rather than to the provision of schools of our own provided and maintained by the State. With regard to the question of a central State school, I have carefully considered 208 the Report of the Departmental Committee so ably presided over by my hon. Friend the Member for the Wells Division of Somerset. It is deserving of every attention; but, for the reasons I have stated, we do not at the present moment contemplate the establishment of a central normal school of agriculture provided and maintained by the State.