FUTURE OF FLOCK HOUSE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 71, 23 February 1932, Page 2

FUTURE OF FLOCK HOUSE

SUGGESTION BY TRUSTEES. CONSIDERATION BY PREMIER A suggestion that the Government should subsidise £ for £ money raised for the purpose of training sons of New Zealand ex-soldiers at Flock House last week mot with the sympathy of the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes. Mr J. Linklater, M.P., said that the trustees of Flock House had during the last seven and a half years built up a system of farm training and after-care for the war orphaned dependents of British seamen, by which 78 had been thoroughly trained and looked after, the great majority of whom wero in a position of economic independence, with some already established on farms of their own. The time had arrived to stop bringing English boys to New Zealand, and the trustees might well rest on • their laurels, cease all training at Flock HouSo, run the station on ordinary commercial linos, and devote their energies in tho future to the establishment of their former trainees on farms of their own as tlrey became fit and ready. That -work they intended to carry out, but they fully realised that one of tho greatest problems before the Government to-day was to provide openings for boys loaving school, and in particular to find ways for training them for a life on the land. “The trustees,” continued Mr Linklater, “cannot overlook the fact that they hold a valuable property which, from its natural conditions and the additions and equipment made to -’t, is most suitable for this special purpose, and that they are in command of a training and after-cara organisation which has proved itself. For ihis purpose the trustees have called a conference at Flock House on February 24 of all war relief bodies, returned soldier associations, and others, to consider the possibility of providing for the extension of farm training at Flock House and after-care on block House lines to New Zealand soldiers’ sons. Expressions of the desire for this extension have been most pronounced from all the bodies concerned and by the Press, and delegates have been appointed to attend the conference representing each city and town in the Dominion from Auckland to Invercargill. “It is clear from the results of the meetings already held throughout the Dominion that the great difficulty will be the question of providing the cost of the maintenance of the New Zealand boys during the period of training. Funds at the disposal of the war relief bodies are limited and to a great extent must be conserved for the benefit of sick and wounded men. “The evidence is that half the money required can be found by war relief bodies and from private sources, and the purport of this deputation is to ask you, provided an approved system of extending the Flock House training to New Zealand boys is evolved by the conference, to subsidise the moneys contributed for this purpose on the basis of pound for pound.” Mr Forbes promised to give on answer this week. CONFERENCE TO-MORROW. Patriotic Associations and Returned Soldiers’ Associations from as far north as Auckland and as far south as Otago will be represented at the conference to be held at Flock House, Bulls, to-morrow, to discuss the desirability of using the institution for tire training of New Zealand boys, sons of ex-servicemen, in tho same manner as was done with sons of British seamen. The delegates will number approximately fifty and the fact that so many have responded to the invitation of Flock House trustees bears testimony to a Dominion-wide opinion of the value of the work of the institution. The conference will review all aspects of the trustees’ proposals. Consideration will bo given to the cost of maintenance of New Zealand youth at Flock House, with special reference to (a) minimum economical number to be in training; (b) period of training; (c) modification, if any, of the allowance and privilege at present granted to overseas boys. The delegates will also consider methods of providing the necessary finance for the maintenance of New Zealand boys. The list of delegates is as follows: Auckland, Mr T. B. Kay (secretary Patriotic Association); Gisborne, Mr G. C. Jones (H.B. Patriotio and R.S.A.); Hawke’s Bay, Mr . John Harding (H.B. Patriotic Association), Messrs H. B. Smart and W. J. Steere (Waipukurau R.S.A.); Wairarapa, Messrs D. McGregor and A. E. Prentice (Wairarapa Patriotic Association), Mr T. A. Yeoman (Akitio Patriotic Association!; Wellington, Mr C. M. Luke and Colonel Mitchell (War Funds Council and Wellington Patriotic Association). Sir Andrew Russell, Colonel Avery, Mesrs J. Duncan, S. A. Harrison (Headquarters, R.S.A.); Palmerston North, Messrs J. H. Stevens, J. Permnin (Manawatu Patriotic Society),' W. G. Rutherfurd (R.S.A.); Apiti, Messrs G. Souness and W. A. Churchill (R.S.A.); Bulls, Messrs H. J. McManaway and J. H. Perrett (Bulls Patriotio Association); Marton, Mr G. Denbow (R.S.A.); Wanganui. Messrs Hope Gibbons, A. G. Bignell, R. M. Finlayson (WanganuiWaitotara Patriotio Association); Waverloy (Messrs W. James and F. Johnston (Waverley Patriotic Association and R.S.A.); Taihajie, Mr E. J. Quinn (R.S.A.); Taumarunui, Messrs F. J. Redfern (R.S.A.); Te Awamutu, Mr A. S. Wylie (R.S.A.); Christchurch, Messrs H. Holland, M.P. and F. T. Reid, G. A. Hayden. (Canter-' bury -Patriotic • Association and R.S.A.); Nelson, Hon. W. Snodgrass (Nelson Patriotio Association); Blenheim, Mr A. Duncan (Marlborough Patriotic Society); Temuka, Mr E. F. Wilcox (R.S.A.); Timaru, Colonel Mitchell (Timaru Patriotio Association) ; Dunedin and Southland. Messrs E. R. Grace and W. F. . Forrester (Otago and Southland Patriotic Associations and R.S.A:). Trustees of Flock House to be present will include the. chairman (Mr E. Newman), Sir James Allen, Messrs W. G. Rudd, G. Marshall, A. Sutherland ,and T. R. Lees (managing trustee). • .