GIRLS FOR FARMS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 65, 19 March 1925, Page 9

GIRLS FOR FARMS

extension of floek 1 'hquse 1 ' ■ •■■ • scheme. :.p■:-■■'-: > ;

(Bt rELEQRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATIONS

PALMERSTON N,, ,18th March. A proposal is being discussed Ijy the trustees of the New Zealand Sheepowners'. Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund; under which it is suggested; to extend, the activities, of. the movement and- bring "girls. to .Sew Zealand under » sohenie siniilar. that which at present openates in respect to boys (the sons of naval 'men! who died' during the war) at Flocks-House, ,-near Bulls. The managing trustee, Mr; T. R.Lees, stated to, a reporter to-day that ■the committee of the fund would probably have^ something concrete to work upon within a month. .The trustees: of the fund hoped to be;.,able to bring-out the sisters of some of-theloys already here. ■■• ' .-. _•■.■. .'.'l:'-'.. .....

( "The ideal of the scheme," lie saidj "is-to place them on farms and stations at which their brothers are apprenticed. Farmers' ,wives as well as farmers" themselves require help, arid.it ;is suggested that the girls could be employed as domestic servants and mothers!- helps. One of the great questions is finance, and upon this depends to a \great extent the lengths to which the fund; can go. It the Government is to'persist in tax-, ing us as is proposed it'; is certain that we will not" get v»y.'far,.; When money' was first, handed to the fund the Government deducted £35,Q00 in income tax, and now it is propo^ed'to ask for £900 per annum inland tax on Flock House, where work is' being -done to relieve tha Government of a great deal of responsibility^ This means that we shall .be able to do so much less for the people at Home fcr whom the iund was instituted. Steps, are Iseirig' taken to persuade the Government to remit this, as the money will have./to be paid out of capital, and will mean'a great deal."