FLOCK HOUSE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 24, 30 January 1933, Page 11

FLOCK HOUSE

RETURNED SOLDIERS' SONS

SUCCESS OF. NEW SCHEME

"During the last seven years," states the annual report of the Wellington War Relief Association,- "the trustees of the New Zealand Sheepowners' Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund controlling the Flock House Station near Bulls have extend-, ed agricultural-training to, and have provided subsequent employment for, 763. sons of English seamen who lost their lives'while serving afloat. In October, 1931, the supply of boys became- exhausted, and the' trustees, who aro empowered to expend capital moneys ' only. upon the dependants of seamen, offered to apply the station, staff, stock, and. implements to the training of the sons of returned soldiers, provided that the patriotic associations and returned soldiers' associations, aided by a Government subsidy of £1 for £1, undertook to find the £50 required to meet the maintenance and training costs of each lad." A conference of interested bodies wis held at Flock House Station toward the end of February last year, Sir Andrew Russell presiding, and records that the offer to provide facilities for the training pf sons of New Zealand soldiers was gratefully accepted; A central committee was established to co-oi'dinato the 55 returned' soldiers' associations and 57 patriotic associations throughout the Dominion. The committee has no mandatory powers, nor funds of its own, the whole of the advisory work being carried out by the staff of the War Relief Association," whoso secretary was appointed secretary of the committee. PERIOD OF TRAINING. "Within five months of the date of the conference," the report continues, "the '112 interested, organisations had been reduced- by combination of their forces "lo 13 provincial • centres controlling some 40 district offices grouped around, them, nearly all of them having a joint committee formed of representatives of tho two organisations primarily concerned in the scheme. "The period of training, at Flock House is eight months; its full complement is 60 boys; thus it can train and find employment for 90 lads each year. The national organisation established by the committee commenced to send boys to Flock House in April, 1932, and at 30th November, 1932, 57 soldiers' sons were undergoing training and 33 others, to complete the year's allocation, either had been or would be selected prior to 31st March, 1933. There - will ■bo no difficultysubject to the provision of finance—in maintaining the supply of 90 boys each year for several years to come. FARMING OPERATIONS. "The farm on which tho boys train," tho report continues, "is situated in the Parewanui-Rangitikei district,, and is nine miles" south-west of Bulls township. The farm eomprises.B26l acres of every variety of land, and, apart from general agricultural work, wintered in 193? 8480 sheep, including 5300 breeding ewes, and 1100 run Aberdeen Angus cattle,' which included 370 breeding cows. . Nearly 70,000 forest trees were planted during the year on the sand dune country and in plantations on the run, so that,the original sand dune country now planted in forest trees is approximately 570 acres." ' . The report states that although the year just passed has been one of the gratest difficulty for those engaged in farming!' operations, the inquiry for Flock House boys lias been greater than the supply available. .'