FLOCK HOUSE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20492, 10 March 1932, Page 11

FLOCK HOUSE.

FARM TRAINING FOR SONS OF SOLDIERS. jjgW SCHEME APPROVED. Approval of a scheme under which tforeß sons of soldiers will be sent annuity from North Canterbury to receive taining in agriculture at Flock House n» expressed by a meeting of rafi««ntativc» of all interested bodies, vfckli wm'&A at the Jellicoe Hall yestortty afternoon. After some . discussion, a general committee was appointed to arrange for the financing of the ■efceae, and'to select the boys. Hie following delegates were preKnt:—Chmtehureh 8.5.A.: The Rev. P. T. Bead (president), Colonel F. VV. W. Dawson, Messrs E. F. Willcox (secretary), G. W. Lloyd, G. A. Hayden. G. Dabourn, C. H. Chisnall; Temuka E.SJL: Mr J. M. King; Springs County BAA.: Mr E. h Neafe, Colonel J. Stafford; Canterbury Chamber of Commerce: Ibasn A. C. fljrtfierton, T. N. Gibbs (ehaimMS, JBoyi'iJSniployment CommitPdaalcT' (organiser, same com- ; ittee; Canterbury Patriotic Society: I ksn. B. T. Tosswill, F. W. Hobbs; I tabled Soldiers Civil Rehabilitation i feuittee: Mr A. H. Parfitt; Victoria | tafße: Mrs Lucy Hogg (president); Igr.&Mts' Association: Mr J. W. Canterbury Education Board: B. Evison; Technical College &Mid of Governors: Messrs S. R. EviM tad G. Shipley; North Canterbury JMgrmnere: Mr E. W. Gimbler; CanAgricultural and Pastoral AssoMrni Mr M. E. Lyons (secretary); Wtrboiy Employers' Association: Mr %CLHvlbind (president); Christchurch IXfLA.: Mr A. J. McEldowney and Mir ft IC. Keys, Vocational Guidance Mbtt at the Y.M.C.A. and the Techni«lCp%c. Work of Flock House. Tfce purpose of the meeting was exby the president of the ChristBeturned Soldiers' Association W* Be*. F. T. Bead), who presided, tka inception of Flock House, he no fewer .than 760 British boys of seamen—had been trainod Tbe trustees were now anxious jM benefits of tbe House should jj> ttteaded to the sons of soldiers. •wUis purpose they were unable to grants, but they would give **7 other assistance. The work at «a|baae was intensely practical and y yy were given a full insight into It was surely a notable trittat in the present day of deWfWB no Flock House boy was out * Wrk. Beeognising the value of the PJStthe Government had offered to Up to £25 of the £3O necessary ?**<•*'» training for one year. It was SjWtesend boys from all parts of the A total of uot less than desirable. ifft ®* Hnydeu added some details jMe extent aud products of the Flock There was accommodation trainees and 60 was the miniJ* House could take for economic *W™ation. The Government subsidy lT 1 *Pp'y only to sons of New Zeai#. * , 'diers who served in the South j®** or the Great War. It was Zij?| after 12 months the farm SJrit? °^ ea ' or the training of all some would still prefer the returned soldiers to have first jjjjj®ttee. He emphasised that thoy more than one year's 7* * w * r memorial, Flock House iLrr an< * that support would be given to__audntaining it and ultimately from Ohrifltchurch. ll from Christchurch would seven boys every eight months, 68 wand apart from the Gov88")sidy. A selection commit•Wessary to examine the boys, same commitA av ® ®harge of the finance, jg wttabte boys should be sent. Al- - might seem too jjyK'* a course in farming,- much IjSji * or k . could be accomplished, fg|4j y® moral character was well Flock House had also mSS**? the after-care of the boys jJggjlWaer twelve.months. to a question, Mr Read said feaults were achieved with jjffljjSßJft entered the House between SgWwrath and sixteenth years. The BE| :1 ?f , B ntirely P rac tical. Bretherton said that while admiration for .Flock, .ag,® 8 Problem before the meeting H2!. ®tion of the real problem MgLjWMtttbury. If Flock House 1 ilSfc tt° B PPli®d tq hundreds *r® result would be of some IHSmR* P^? v^nc ®-» He suggested instead of spending £SO BBSr' wght reconsider its scheme dealing with 700 boys from ■■BPo aot aeven. mam that Flock House H|MRW 7 MnMthing practical, which

could be put into operation immediately. Mr F. W. Hobbs said it was aa well not to be side-tracked. If the trustees of Flock House could not apply their money to sons of civilians, it was useless to consider Mr Bretherton's scheme. Mr Read said that the trustees were empowered to spend money only on the sons of seamen. They were merely offering the use of the farm and its facilities for the sons of soldiers. The Patriotic Fund. Mr Hobbs thought that they should deal only with the sons of returned soldiers. The whole question was the finance The Patriotic Society was immensely sympathetic, \ ufc in a difficult position. Altogether th. North Canterbury Fund Committee had distributed among return ®J 000 their dependents no less than £340,(H>0. The committee had now reached the conclusion that in order to help the men who were breaking down, it must unserve -all its funds, which amounted subscription was mviuou cff °J* S - ri w Lloyd urged that they un hnla longer than March 31st should have ® The executive of to raise the money So idiers' Asthe Christchurch sociation had' 80 ]diers did not a year. Ee ™ r °f a tbe funds of the favour the use o Waj> Fundg Patriotic Society that the sol _ .honia b. «o„id.r e a ■.w as 1932. landed for want of a The motion lapsed seconder. WJder Field . tu F Lyons 3aid that Flock Ho»e id 'Milled its -UO-1 "■»

sion. It was clear that there must be an urgent and drastic revision- of the fund. To-day it was a case of the greatest good for the greatest number. They must therefore consider whether Flock House was not too expensive, or whether the whole of the money should not be expended among a much greater number of boys. The Government was considering legislation to enable the trust to bo revised, so that the funds could be made available to the sons of returned soldiers and civilians. He doubted whether the farmers would approve the tying-up of I funds at present for any favoured section. The Royal Agricultural Society and'the Sheepowners' Federation, he thought, both favoured opening a wider door to Flock House. Mr T. N. Gibbs said that the cost or a diploma course at Lincoln College was only £SO a year. If the cost at Flock House, excluding administration expenses, was £SO for eight months there must be something wrong with costs Mr E. T. Tosswill moved, and Colonel Dawson seconded,' that the meeting should approve of the scheme by which North Canterbury was to finance eleven bovs annually. The motion was carried unanimously. The following General Committee was set up:—Mrs Hogg, Rev. I<. T. Read, Colonel Stafford, Messrs A. W. Beaven, H. P. Donald, R. T. Tosswill, M. E. Lyons, W. H. Nicholson, A. J. McEldowney, S. G. Holland, E. F. AVillcox, J. W Crampton, G. A. Hayden, and G. Shipley, and a member of the Women's Branch of the Farmers' Union. The committee was given power to add.