FLOCK HOUSE SCHEME

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 29 May 1933, Page 2

FLOCK HOUSE SCHEME

TRAINING SOLDIERS: SONS.

FIRST YEAR’S OPERATIONS,

The figures for the first year’s operations of the new scheme inaugurated 1 at Flock House, under which sons of 1 returned soldiers are being received for training as farmers, were made, avail-1 able to the “Dominion” on Friday,) and disclose that the scheme is meet- j nig with pronounecd success. The maximum capacity of Flock ' House is 90 boys per annum, and 84 j hoys were placed there in the first I year, equal to 93.33 of the maximum. ( A most encouraging feature 'is that from November 28 to the end of the financial year, March 31, no fewer than 27 boys have been placed in occupation, and arrangements have been completed whereby the whole of 84 boys will be in employment by November next. For seven years up to the end of 1932 the trustees of the New Zealand Sbeepowners’ Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund, controlling Flock House Station, near Bulls, extended agricultural training to, and provided subsequent employment fox-, 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 were empowered to spend' capital moneys only upon the dependents of seamen offered to apply the station, staff, stock and implements to the training of sons of returned soldiers, provided that the patriotic associations and R.S.A., aided by a Government subsidy of £ for £,' undertook to find the £so' required to meet the maintenance and training costs of each lad. NEW SCHEME ACCEPTED. At a conference of the interested bodies the proposal was accepted, a central committee was established to co-ordinate the 55 R-.S.A.’s and. _57 patriotic associations in the Dominion, and Mr A. O; Leach, secretary to the Wellington War Relief Association, became secretary to the committee, of which Mr L. O.' H. Tripp is chairman. The period of training is eight months, and with a full complement of 60 boys, 90 lads a year can be trained, and the fact that the number actually trained in the first year is only six short- of the maximum speaks well for the success of the scheme. The farm comprises 8261 acres, and in 1932 carried 8480 sheep (including 5360 breeding ewes), 1100 Aberdeen Angus cattle, 130 dairy cattle and 110 pigs. Nearby 70,000 forest trees wero planted on the sand dunes and in plantations, nearly 600 acres of sand dunes having been planted. There is ample provision for recreational and sports activities. It is worthy of record that the demand for boys from Flock House is usually greater than the supply. TOWN AND COUNTRY'.

Of the total of 84 boys, 62 came from the cities and towns and 22 from the country, the main centres supplying : Auckland provincial district 19, Wellington 21, Canterbury 12, Otago and Southland 15, the remainder from smaller districts. They belonged to several different churches, 33 coming from secondary and district high schools, 14 from primary and.technical schools and 37 from primary schools, and the ages varied from 13 to 20 years, the majority being from 15 t-o 18 years. The average height was sft s Jin and weight Bst llj-lb. In 17 cases the fathers are dead and 'in 44 the father is either wounded; or incapacitated. Ten have no mother, and the whole 84 have 249 brothers or sisters. Of the parents, 78 served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, one in the air force, one in transport, and four in the' Boer War.

Since March 31 seven more boys have been placed, 18 are due to he placed this month, and by the end of November all tbe present boys will be jn employment and: will have been replaced by others.