SETTLEMENT OF WOMEN

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 112, 14 May 1927, Page 8

SETTLEMENT OF WOMEN

LADY CECIL'S TOUR

THE FLOCK HOUSE GIRLS

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, 6th April. Lady Cecil, who with her daughter, recently travelled through New Zealand, cannot speak too highly of her experience. She is just back from her Empire tour, which included Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and Ceylon. Her primary object was to see the conditions for settlement and to report to the Council of the Overseas bettlemeut of British Women, of which sho is vice-chairman. Such tours made by the officials of organisations working ±or overseas settlement must be of the greatest benefit, for it places the organisations in possession of the real facts and gives them an understanding of those difficulties which lose reality at a distance. . ■ '

Lady Cecil has grasped, the difficulties o± settlement in New Zealand especially for public school boys. ."The that it is difficult to know what is to become of some of these boys without capital, when they have gone through their training." c The Flock House scheme, both the boys' side and the girls' side, greatly impressed her. "I have seen r?othin| h m lt ln all the Dominions," she said The girls' establishment is splendidly run, and there is a happy and nice atmosphere. I think these girls will prove most capable on the farms. I was delighted with it. HOUSING ACCOMMODATION. "I saw.a number of the educated women wo had sent out to take up work as helps on the farms and as teachers. Not one of them was sorry she had gone out to the Dominion. The teachers' said they were much happier under much better conditions. Everywhere these educated women who have gone out are winning golden opinions. There is plenty of room for them if they are ready for hard work, for it is hard work. There would be still greater opportunities for married couples if the land owners would provide housiac accommodation for them. Ther<TH» a preference for single men, who can be easily put up in whares," Lady Cecil, however, would not offer much criticism. "It is not fair, for it is so marvellous to see what has been accomplished in seventy years. People are so nice. They are trying to get past the difficulties and fit the newcomers in." ■- ■ .Commenting on her travel through the Dominion, Lady Cecil recalled with pleasure the beauty of Auckland and Ellershe, where they had a most charming reception at what was more like a lovely garden than a racecourse.' "I shall never forget the beautiful bouquet of kowhai and clematis I received at that reception." Lady Cecil recalled her experiences at Wairakei, where she bathed in the Fairy Bath at night when the snow was on the overhanging trees; her visit to Woodford House, where some of the teachers from this country had goneand the wonderful motor trip from Blenheim through the Kaikouras to Christ'church, where she wag more than over astonished with what has been done in seventy years. "In the beautiful Cathedral there one might have been taking part in a service in any Cathedral at Home," she said. Lady Cecil expressed her grateful appreciation of what the Victoria League had done for her an dthe courtesy re^ ceived from the officials of the Immigration Department. 85, Fleet street.

Attempts arc being made to grow the Douglas pine to its full height jn Englaud. In the Canadian Rockies and elsewhere this tree reaches 250 ft, more than twice as high as England's tallest forest trees. .