Ceremony at Flock House Next Month

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 24, 29 January 1937, Page 3

Ceremony at Flock House Next Month

TO MARK COMMENCEMENT OF STATE CONTROL Arrangements have been made for Flock House to be taken over officially by the State on February 11. There will be an appropriate ceremony and, on behalf of the Government, the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W. Lee Martin, and the Minister of Lands, Hon. F. Langstone, will formally take over control of the farm training estate from tho trustees of the New Zealand Sheepfarmers’ Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seaman Fund. It is tho Government’s intention to maintain Flock House as a training centro for young New Zealanders who wish to take up farming as a career. Valuation of the stock, implements and chattels of the property is now in progress. The station was visited on Tuesday by Mr W. C. Robinson (secretary of the Department of Agriculture), Mr R. B. Tcnnent (Director of the Fields Division), and Mr C. L. Hunter, M.P. Mr Lynch has arrived from Christchurch to take over the duties of housemaster in succession to Mr F. W. Ivey.

Borne of tho naval relics which were presented to the institution have been offered to the Dominion Museum. Thcso include a part of tho launch of H.M.S. Hampshire, which was lost with Lord Kitchener on board on June 5, 1916. This came from tho trustees of the Imperial War Museum. Other relics are the hand-steering wheel of H.M.S. New Zealand, which came from the Rosyth ship-building yards when the battleship was scrapped, in 1924, and the engine-room telegraph from the same vessel. Bet at full speed ahead by the late Earl Jellicoe when he opened Flock House in 1924, it has remained so ever since. There are also a large oil painting of H.M.S. New Zealand and a number of othefr pictures, including one of the steamer Otaki’s engagement with tho heavily armed German raider M.ocwe in the Atlantic on March 20, 1917. The ceil of Submarine El, which is used to rouse the boys in the morning, will remain at the institution, which will also retain the dormitory names Victory, Revenge and Quest. There are 39 trainees at Flock House at present, though tho full complement when, the Government takes control will be fifty. Two administrative clerks will be installed by the Department of Agriculture in an office at Flock House. It has been announced that Mr T. 11. Lees will continue to act as secretary of the Trust Board in administering' the residue of the gheeDowners.’ original fund.