FLOCK HOUSE

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 November 1934, Page 12

FLOCK HOUSE

\ NOT ENOUGH BOYS OFFERING. [per press association.] WELLINGTON, November 14. “If it is found impossible to keep Flock House fully engaged in training New Zealand soldiers’ sons, steps should be taken to. obtain. Imperial soldiers’ sons from Great Britain, preference being given to New Zealand boys,” was the recommendation adopted by the annual meeting of subscribers to the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund. A statement by Mr E. Newman, Chairman of the Board, was read in his absence. He said that although 60 boys was the economic working minimum for the institution, which had a staff and plant and accommodation for 70 boys, there were now only 35 in residence. Two questions frequently put to him were: “Why cannot Flock House be thrown open to any boys who wanted to learn farming?” and “are you spending the money donated in response to your appeal in 1918 for sailors’ dependents on other people?” He desired to make the position of Flock House future clear. Until the trustees had fulfilled all their promises to British seamen’s dependents and their guardians in Britain, the trustees could not expend anything outside the scope of the fund. It had been suggested that the institution should come under the British Child Immigration Scheme, now being developed under the patronage of the Prince of Wales. “At this stage I can say nothing except the trustees agree we cannot carry Flock House on as we are doing much longer, without encroaching on the Seamen’s Fund, and this we are unanimously opposed to.”