FLOCK HOUSE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 357, 11 February 1937, Page 6

FLOCK HOUSE

Control Taken Over By The State. Press Association—Copyright. Palmerston N., Feb. 10. To-dsfy, 13 years after Lord JelHcoe out the engi ne'e-room tlelegraph of H.M.S. New Zealand, which stands in the main hall of Flock House, at full spe'ed, the trustees of the Niew (Zealand Sheep-farmers Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamten Fund handed over the control of Flock House Station to the New Zealand Government, which was represented by the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W. Lee Martin, whose department will now control Flock House. The Minister of Lands, Hon. F. Langs tone; the Director-General of Agriculture, Mr. .A. .H. .Cockayne; the Director of Education, Mr. N. T. Lambourne, were also-present. Though the station will now be controlled by the Government tire fund, the bulk of which by the realisation of the Flock House property is now in a fluid state, will continue to be administered by the trustees for the purpose for which it was instituted.

With the object of helping those sons of sailors who died, were injured, or otherwise suffered through the war, to a useful knowledge of farming in New ZeeJacd, the Sheepfarmers’ Acknowledgement of Debt to British Seamen Fund was launched soon after the armistice of the Great War. Flock House was The eventual outcome.

The scheme was conceived largely through the foresight of Mr. Edward Newman, C.M.G., who has been chairman of trustees from the inception. When he made an appeal to the wool-growers of the Dominion at a jneeting of the Marton branch of the Farmers’ Union on July 18, 1918, for the provision of some tangible appreciation and gratitude to the British seamen of the Royal Navy and the Mercantile Marine and the great auxiliary forces, the response was immediate. As a result, a sum closely approximating a quarter of a million pounds was promisecT. In 1921 a permanent board was set up, Mr. Newman becoming chairman and Mr. T. R. Lees managing trustee. Then faced with the problem of carrying into effect to the best possible advantage the purposes for which the money was subscribed, the trustees agreed that the best service that v.'ould be given Was to afford the dependants' of seamen an opportunity of instruction in farming to fit them for life as farmees’ assistants* and later farmers. Subscribers to the fund were in accord with this project, and in 1924 an area totalling 8261 acres, which is now known as Flock House, was acquired. The first draft of English boys selected by the London Advisory Committee, of which Sir James Allen was chairman, arrived at Auckland by the Remuera on June 27,

1924. The official opening of the establishment was performed by Vis- I count Jellicoe on July 18, 1924. Regular drafts of boys continued to arrive at intervals of four months until October, 1931. By that time 635 boys had come to this country and had been absorbed into the community. Girls’ Flock House For the purpose of receiving sisters of the boys who had arrived at. Flock House, the Girls’ Flock House was established in 1926, and between that time and June, 1930, a total of 128 girls was received. With the admission in April, 1932, of the first son of a New Zealand returned soldier for Training, a new era in the history of Flock HouEe was marked. From then until August, 1936, the number of Nev’ Zealand boys to pass through the institution was 300, and altogether since the inauguration of the scheme nearly 1000 boys, have assisted In the marked improvement to the property and its carrying capacity. Now, with the institution formally handed over to the State, another era is opening.