FLOCK HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 95, 16 January 1926, Page 8

FLOCK HOUSE

SUCCESSFUL YEAR’S WORK

£21,072 EXPENDED TO DATE

GRATITUDE OF SONS OF BRITISH SEAMEN

The animal meeting of the trustees and subscribers to the New Zealand Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund was held in Wellington yesterday. Annual Report. “When deciding to inaugurate a scheme for the training in farm work of sons of British seamen,” stated the annual report, “the trustees realised that such an undertaking would malic heavy demands on the financial resources of the fund, but care was taken by making a generous allocation for relief expenditure to avoid the possibility of genuine claims in New Zealand being' in any wav prejudiced bv other branches of the fund’s work. The extent to which sailors and dependants in New Zealand have been assisted bv the fund since its inception is as follows:—-To September 30, 1922, £5168 15s. Bd.; for vear ended September 30, 1923, £10,090 19s. 3d.; for nine months ended June 30, 1924, £2951 15s. Bd.; for vear ended June 30, 1925, £2561 9s. 3d. Total, £21,072 19s. lOd. Good Work by London Committee. “During the vear the London Advisory Committee considered 178 applications for assistance, and grants were made in 139 cases, representing a total expenditure of £1135 3s. lid. It was announced in the annual report of the preceding year of the fund’s work that, in view ’of the undertaking to afford assistance of a permanent nature to orphan suns and daughters .of British seamen bv the introduction of the farm training scheme, it had, been found necessary to limit applications for relief in England to the most distressing cases, and particularly to those in which the sailor or deceased sailor served 011 vessels trading between New Zealand and England during the war. This

decision is reflected in the Loudon committlce’s relief expenditure for the year under review. In dealing with applications for assistance the committee continues to have the assistance in the investigation of cases and in the disbursement of grants of other institutions interested in the welfare of seamen, and to those organisations we extend our sincere thanks for their valuable help and co-operation. Jhe monev granted by the London committee for relief expenditure has been vet y carefully and wisely allocated, and we desire to again place on record, our deep appreciation and gratoul tnanks , to Sir James Allen, the members of , his committee, and to the honorary : secretary, Mr. C. Knowles for their efforts in the interests of the fund. . “The committee’s total expenditure, in the form of relief grants, from the commencement of operations to June 30, 1925, is £26,956 Ils . “A total of HI boys, having completed their initial training at Flock House, were now in employment in various parts of the Dominion, as follows:— Auckland 3, East Coast ami Poverty Bav 23, North Laranaki 3, Wanganui Hawke’s Bay 43, Wairarap 9, Mana-watu-Wellington 19, -Marlborough, Nel- 1 son and Canterbury 9.” > Good Type of British Lad. ! In moving the adoption of the report ; and balance-sheet, the cnairman Hon. i Edward Newman, M.L.C., said tnat a . large share of credit for the success , which had been achieved must be given ; to Sir ’ames Allen, High commissioner, ; and his colleagues on the London com- ; mittec. Great care had been taken ill ; the selection of the boys and ue fel , quite justified in saying that it would . be impossible to firn! a netter type of lad than those who baa oecn dispatched from England. None but the trustees, and especially the managing trustee Mr T. R. Lees, could realise now difficult’ it had been to organise and successfully develop a new scheme like that inaugurated in connection with . Flock B'ouse. An Excellent farm School. Proceeding, the chairman said that Flock House station had continued to prove most suitable for the purpose ot 1 training large numbers of overseas ! bovs in the initial stages, of iaa.i and station life. Further, it was gratifying to know that as a commercial undertaking it had paid a fair rate of interest on the capital invested, in nrooertv. Very considerable im-

movement -had been effected during the period the trustees had owned the propertv, and there was every reason to believe that as a sheep and catt e station it would turn out a profitable I undertaking. The forestry work had I been successful; they had planted 1 10 000 trees on 200 acres of land, and ! notwithstanding the dry season most j of the voung trees were doing we,l. Mr. Newman then read a number of i letters from farmers highly appreciaj five of the class of boys who had been sent to them and of the excellent work thev had done and were now ' doing. Letters were also read from the lads expressing their satisfaction with their surroundings, and high appreciation .of the kindness of the [ trustees.

Uirts' Hosier. Mr. Newman said he was glad that , thev had now tackled in a practical j manner the important cork of ing the daughters of British. seamen killed in the war. In connection with the work at the girls’ hostel at I almerston North they were deeply grateful to the ladies controlling the Y.W.C.A., and especially to Mrs. Bow'ron (Dominion president). The Palmerston North Committee consisted cl Mesdanics F. J. Nathan. Hardv, Pacev, and 11. Palmer, with power to add to their number and the committee felt confident that under these ladies’ control the girls of Flock House would prove a great success. Assistance to Mothers. The question of assisting mothers of ■bovs and girls io come out and settle in’New Zealand, and what, amount of assistance should be . given, required the careful consideration of the trustees. “I trust,” said Mr. Newman, “that some arrangement may be made that will enable the fund io help it] this direction. The. matter is still under consideration by the board. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The Hon. Edward Newman was reelected chairman of the board. Several speakers expressed their appreciation of the excellent work which was being done at Flock House,, and the admirable control which was being exercised by the board.