Future of Flock House

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 52, 25 November 1930, Page 11

Future of Flock House

gir,—My attention has been called to the views expressed by Captain F. A. Macindoe regarding the future of I lock House in your issue of the 21st instant. The trustees are very appreciative ol the help and advice received from Captain Macindoe in the past in disbursing grants to disabled seamen, but there are some points in his remarks which indicate that' the position of the trustees and the fund ■is not clearly understood by him and, perhaps, therefore, by some o£ the public. .. ... ... , The subscribers to the tund laid, down the directions in which the money was to be administered, which were shortly: (a) For the benefit of the dependants of sailors who were killed or injured at sea during the war. (b) For the relief and benefit of sailors whose need of relief was owing to injuries received or sickness contracted while in service at sea during the war. And the trustees’ duty has been to follow out those directions. The trustees have most generously interpreted the wording of the latter clause, and no seaman has been refused assistance whose need could be in any way traced to such injuries or sickness, the amount expended to June 30 last in cash grants to beneficiaries being £oB,uoi 14/-. It .s quite incorrect that there will be any sum left from the fund, large or small, which will eventually pass into a channel unauthorised by the original subscribers. The investments in land and stock, etc., and the moneys now’ left in the hands of the trustees will all be required for the purpose for which it was subscribed, and much more could be utilised in the same direction. _ I disagree with Captain Macindoe in his remark that it is unimportant whether the station goes back into private hands or not, but the official statement issued to the Press on the 20th instant made it quite clear that any development which resulted in the Flock House organisation being utilised in another direction must be financed from a different source, and is so recognised in your editorial comments. —I am, otc., EDWARD NEW MAN. November 22. Sir, —New' Zealanders are loyal to the Empire, though their own national war memorial is not complete. Regarding Flock House, it has done good work, but the supply is nearly exhausted. What about the youth of the poor of New Zealand whose fathers provided the greatest percentage of soldiers of a-ny country in the world? Charity should . . home. If the people are not indebted to New Zealanders it is because it does not give enough show or advertisement. Ihe Rev. Fielden Taylor seems to have his hands full of deserving youth.—l am. etC " C. HOWDEN. November 19.