FLOCK HOUSE

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 121, 18 November 1932, Page 9

FLOCK HOUSE

CONTINUED SUCCESS

YEAR'S WORK REVIEWED

Gratification at the; continued success that had attended the work during a most difficult year was the keynote at the annual meeting to-day of subscribers to the New Zealand Sheepownors' Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen (Flock House) Fund.

Tho annual report stated that with tho disposal of the girls'.Hock House, the cessation of immigration, and the opening of Flock Rouse station to the sons of New Zealand soldiers the year had been one or! great importance to tho fund. Of .the total.-. amount of £201,188 received from, subscribers, the sum of £135,539 'had been directly disbursed in cash during the twelve years byway of grants and loans to. disabled soldiers, widows, and children, • and in the . immigration, training, and settlement of boy and girl dependants.' During the past year-all the English boys in training at tho date of the. last annual report had been placed in satisfactory employment. The year had again been one of the greatest difficulty for those engaged in farming operations, but the inquiry for Flock House boys had exceeded the supply. The report referred to the arrangements made for the sons of New Zealand soldiers to be trained at Mock House with a £, for £ Government subsidy up to £25 for each boy, and stated that at the present time 57 boys were in training, with a further 33 arranged for up'to 31st March, 1933. As a result of the economies effected the result of the year's farm operations was not unsatisfactory, and a progressive policy of maintenance and development had been carried out. .'■.'. TRAINING OF BOYS. Tie chairman of trustees, Mr. Edward Netvman, C.M.G., said that credit for a great deal of the success achieved was due to the managing trustee, Mr. T. B. Lees. He referred at length to the methods adopted at Flock House which first taught the boys to make a living from the land and to become good citizens. . At the present time in New Zealand, if there was to be a national policy of land settlement, it was imperative to give that teaching. Thrift during the indenture period, when the boys started to learn to be farmers, was another important aspect of the work) and Mr. Newman mentioned that altogether tho boys, and girls who had passed through their training had saved £38;000. -It was- very; gratifying, :he said,- that 'opportunities for straining ,at Flock House had been given to the.soris of New Zealand'soldiers. The Government had decided at one stage to discontinue the subsidy, but ■he had received a letter from the Prime Minister to the effect that the subsidy would be paid for a number of boys up to 27 who might enter during January, February,- and March, next.- ■ .; ■ VEKY FEW LOSSES! " Mr. Lees.gave a review of-the; work done since the inception of the scheme,; stating thai during" the .past eight years--763 sons and ,of British seamen had:; been . drained, in addition to the ■ New Zealand boys now being taught. There had been. surprisingly few losses, and the thought and care given by. the trustees to the details of the scheme laid down nine years ago had been amply justified by the reSuits. Mr. Lees expressed the opinion that the placing of boys from the towns on farms without the • initial training and subsequent apprenticeship given to Flock House boys would., not produce satisfactory -results;- ."■:•:;

Sir James ■ Allen eulogised the seiv vices given by Mr. Newman andr ack-. nowledged the great assistance givenriii prosperous years to the fund ■ bj&r-the" farming community. He "stressedi :th'e importance to the country ■ ■ ofivsfch!©' training received at Flock House^f- and urged that every effort;should bfe^ihade. to have the subsidy continued-for* ait indefinite period." He suggested -thttt^ the Mock House- idea might be extends edby the Government to apply to'thbs'e'other than "the■ sons of' New Zealand1 soldiers. ■•■■' :- "'"' ■■ '■''"••■■■ :'■•" "C"1 "'"-"■' Mr; A.; T.- Duncan said that the 5-New Zealand- Returned Soldiers' Association was very grateful for the -generous1 treatment given to ex-soldiers' sons, ;." Mr. Newman was unanimously"-re-" elected chairman of trustees. . ■ ■•!'v;: ~ A motion was carried recording appreciation of-the services given-by the staff. " . .: . '■ Mr. E. Davis was reappqinted auditor.