TRAINING FOR THE LAND

Feilding Star, Volume 2, Issue 288, 18 July 1924, Page 4

TRAINING FOR THE LAND

At its sitting yesterday, tho Council of .Agricultural adopted a resolu-" tion "that the present educational facilities for persons desiring to engage in rural occupations arc hopelessly inadequate, and that it is desirable that an investigation, of the matter be undertaken My a special ' commission." To-day his- Excellency the Governor is performing the cereony oi' the official opening of the Flock House .Estate training farm at Bulls, Which. U to do for "English boys what should also be on offer for the sons Of New Zealandcrs who desire to go on the land. Fcilding is fortunate in this matter, but there should'be more schools with an. agricultural, bent distributed all over the Dominion Perhaps the . Council of Agriculture will adopt a policy of helping on that good work, The Flock House scheme is admirable, arid all but one of the •British boys at the school have passed the English seventh standard, and tho exception lias passed flic sixth: standard. One of the lads 'possess; considerable, mathematical ability. All are of good physique, and notj <hk' has any ailment of any description. Almost all of the 2u are orphans, and the few who have fathers who were disabled in the Empire's cause in the great conflict. The arrangements respecting their courses of duty have not yet been fully decided, hut the lads are to get a good all round knowledge of •practical farming. If a boy shows a special aptitude for any one branch he will be 'encouraged to develop if, hilt at present their duties are changed every week. The property is as fully stocked with sheep and cattle as it can he at present, and dairy operations commence with some 60 cows-next month. A milking machine plant ! in to be installed. There is a good deal of subdivisional fencing work to be done by the hoys. Already, the boys have been engaged in planting trees on the sandy quarters of the estate most distant ffrom the homestead, and at present most of them are employed in clearing up the garden and grounds about the house in readiness for its official operjinp hv the Gover-nor-General this afternoon. It will therefore be seen that' the Flock House scheme is a credit to the New Zealand pastoralisfcs who established such a practical foundation. ,