P. W. Smallfield

Mr. P. W. Smallfield (1917-18, DipAgr, MAgrSc), the Bledsloe Medallist, 1938.

Mr. Smallfield was born at Auckland on 19^th February, 1898. He received his secondary education at St. John’s Collegiate School and at the Auckland Grammar School. During 1915-16 he attended Auckland University College and commenced the course for the B.Agr.Sc. degree. During 1917-18 he was in residence at the residence at Canterbury Agricultural College Lincoln. In May, 1918, he went into camp at Trentham, and was attached to the New Zealand Engineers.

During his stay in England at the conclusion of the war he was attached to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Education Staff with the rank of warrant officer. In England he studied farm practices in the districts in which he was stationed, and visited experimental farms and places of agricultural interest. He returned to Canterbury Agricultural College in October, 1919. He completed the course for the degree of B.Agr.Sc. and gained first place in practical and theoretical work at the college diploma examinations, for which he was awarded the College gold medal.

He joined the staff of New Zealand Department of Agriculture in 1921. He promoted to Fields Superintendent Auckland District in 1928, and was among the first to qualify for the newly instituted degree of Master of Agricultural Science.

The main claim from the point of view of value to the farming community of New Zealand is his work in demonstrating, by the development of some thousands of acres of pumice land of the central plateau of the North Island, the possibilities of this country as farming land. His work ill the development of the Ngakura blocks to permanent grass capable of butterfat production per acre of more than 200 lb. opened the way for the extensive development of Crown and Native lands.