FLOCK HOUSE WORK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 12, 7 October 1937, Page 7

FLOCK HOUSE WORK

Oui- Own Correspondent,)

Trainees Who Have Made Good INSTITUTION'S RECORD

(From

' PALMERSTON N., Last Night. "Th« org&nii&tlon Kai k«pt im thej elosest tpuch posaible with all pld train-| sea of Flock House, and their reeord; of goneral progress has been higb," reeords the anaual report of the Kew Zealand Sheepowners Acknowledgement of Debt to British Seamen Fund. Of tbe tqtai xjuqxber of 771 seamen 's sons and daughters, only four overseas boye and eight New Zealand boys are now under the age of 21 years. Cash and life assurance accounts for 258 boys and girls are still in the books of the fund, All these boys and girls are now absorbed into and are integral -parts of the conxmunity, 201 are marhied and have homes of their own, and 'there are about 300 of the third genoration. Alany boys hold very adminis- ] trative pogitions, and 83 have ventured ; on their own account, 71 on farmst and 12 in businesses. Ip addition there ar® resident in New Zealand 122 fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters of old Flock House boys and girls in whom we take an interest. j ' "One of the chief duties of the trust ; ees to tbe olfi boys i# to assxst those desirous qf making a start for thenxselves and who comply with the conditions regarding character, ability and savings account balanceg. A number of young men have received such assis* tanee during the past two years, and girls Jxave received substantial help to* wards house furnishings on their xnarriage. The young settlqrs at the Panetapu Settlement in thp Waikato have now been two years in occupation o! their own farms and have made sub-! stantial progress and are well on tho way to becoming a prosperous community. It is of interest to note that, during the past year, from the 1,439 acres occupied as mixed farms nearly £4000 was taken for butterfat, £1,000 for wool and over 1,300 fat lambs were sold. Kew Zealand Boys As Trainees. > Up to January 31, 1937, the date at which the Kew Zealand Governmeut took over the responsibilxty of farm training, 324 New Zealand boys had been received at Flock House and 15 boys had been acceptep to enter in Fejxruary, making a total of 339. Of these, 285 had completed their training and been placed in employment, leaving 54 in residence or to enter during February. The total of 339 had been drawn from all parts of New Zealand, as follows: — Auckland Province, 80) Povertv Bay, 9; Hawke's Bay, 30; Taranaki, 34; Wanganui-Rangitikei, 14; Manawatu, 19; Wairarapa, 12; Wellington, 47; Marlborough, Nelson and [ Westland, 14; Canterbury, 34; Otago and Southland, 66; total, 339. Of these, 331 were soldiers' sons and 8 seamen 'g sons. The total number of overseas and New Zealand boys and girls trained at the Flock Houses up to January 31, 1937 was 1,087.

Farm And Station Operations. "The net retixrns from the station during the last four years have been very satisfactory, the fund reaping tha benefit of tbe development policy which has been pursued since 1924, For the year ended June 30, 1936, the priocipal sahes and the net average prices realised at -the st'atipn were 122 fat bifilocks, £9 17s 10d,, 2,895 fpt lambs, 21s., 802 i fat wethers, 24s., 254 bales wool at, 8.40d. per pound, 24,386 lbs. butterfat 12.77dd. per pound. The breeding ewe flock was increased to 6,150 and the net profit for the yeaV, exclufiing the amount charged for thp Palmerston North Qflice expenses, and the uncollected cost of training boys, was £6,394 8? Sd. For the seven months ended Janu&ry 31, 1937, the principal saies, and the net average prices xealised at the Station were 54 fat bullocks, £11 4s 8d., 1,544 fat lambs, 24s 0$d,, 485 fat wethers, 27s,, 221 bales wool at 15.92d. per pound, 14,580 lbs. butterfat 13.85d. por pound. The net profit for the period, excluding the prices realised for tho stock on valuation and transfer to tke New Zealand Government in excess of standard values, and also excluding the amount charged for the Palmerston North Office expenses, and the uncollected cost of training boys, was £11,013, 10s 6d, Tbe property is in first class condition, and, with a> cpntinuation of sound farming methods, will uadoubtedly continue to give excellent .returns.1' ' Future Policy. i ' The report details the negotiations with the Government for the purchase of the estate, adding;— "Unfortunately, the valuation of the Fiock Hpuse land did not proceed with the same despatch as tho valuation oi • live stock and chkttels, and ultimately the arbitrators failed to agree and have called in the district Stipendiary Magistrate as umpire, who will proceed to hear evidence and give his dqcision during the month of November. It is rnost regrettable tlxat these proceedings are resulting iu considerable legal and valuation expenses to both parties, and that these costs will reduce the amoixnt which should b? avaiiable to assist on: fceneficiaries. ^ "It is not possible to indicato to lubscribers with full degree of ac-' euracy the future policy of the trustees in aduiinistering the remaining trust funds uutil the decisioix of the urupire is given and the amount of xnoncy avaiiable for the future is deiinitely ascertained, and the deeision of th« Government is given in other directioxis. The trustees will continue to inake grants both in New Zealand and overseas to assist Biitish seamen who were iisablcd during the War, and for the xseisfnnce of the dependents of British mameu who were ineapacitiated or iv ho died as the result of injnries ra?exved during tho war, Also, as previously indicated, it js intended to % assist all of the ex-traixxees of Flock House who BritiA jnammx'j jcnj

and daughters to establxsh themselves independently in New Zealand, when the opportunity for each arises, and provided they have complied with the eonditions of tho .trustees regarding character, ability and thrift. With many, this opportunity may avise fot sojpe years and certain funds must be retained as long as is necessary to redeem the promises made by the Trustees when the ex-trainees are in positiou to take advantage of them. Further, tho trustees most earnestly desire as soon as the time is ripe, to continue aud complete their work of transferring to New Zealand uR suitable sons and daughters of British seamen wbo wero killed or incapacitated during the war, and who have the desire for life on tho land in this Dominion. There are Still very many dependents, particularly, to issist, and many sons and daughters oi Incapacitated British seamen are availible for transfer to and training in the Dominion, Tbe Trustees hope that the Government will soon allow a limited assisted immigration so that wards oi this fund may again be brought to New Zealand and trained at Flock House fdr a life on the land, and the fund will most wilUngly undertake to p_ay to the Goverqmenfc the costs of such training, and ffili be xesponsible for the subsequent aftercare and settlement of such *vailloG8. ff