FLOCK HOUSE SCHEME

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6954, 6 July 1929, Page 5 (Supplement)

FLOCK HOUSE SCHEME

Praise From Scotland

The following letter from the Duke of Montrose aneut the Flock House scheme appeared in a recent issue of tho Daily Mail, London:— Your columns have recently given prominence to many various ideas for helping our surplus population to go overseas to tho Dominions; but none can cxceod in generous terms or satisfactory results the scheme promoted and financed by the sheep-farmers of New Zealand. This scheme was formed eight years ago entirely for the benefit of the sons and daughters of British sailors who lost their lives or had their health impaired in the Great War.

“Two magnificent, training farms aro maintained in New Zealand; and here the young 'trainees’ arc given three years’ practical tuition in farming life. After that they are all placed out with very carefully selected farmers in different parts of the country; and every opportunity and encouragement is afforded to tho young people to accumulate their savings and to qualify to own a farm of their own.

“Not one penny of expense falls on these boys and girls. Every single thing is paid for them from the door of their home in tho Old Country to the door of their home in tho new. They are clothed, fed and taught by tho generosity of the New Zealand sheepfarmers.

“In the eight years the scheme has been in existence 428 boys and 94 girls have gone out, many of them being brothers, and sisters; and I am glad to say that quite a fair proportion of them hail from Scotland. Almost without exception they have done extremely well. They have greatly developed in health and strength, and seem very happy. In a number of cases they have accumulated a considerable amount of wealth in the form of pecuniary savings, the acquisition of horses, cattle sheep, and so on. “To illustrate the chances of making good, which open up in this new country, I may quote tho case of a young fellow from Dundee who last season bought from his employer 12 ewes. He reared IS lambs, which he sold at 30s. each, plus . 3d. worth of wool from each ewe, this transaction finally leaving him with a profit of £l9 ifis. and the 12 ewes.

“What can boys and girls do in Scotland like this?

“With your permission, sir, I beg to bring this scheme to the notice of the wife of every sailor and deep-sea fisherman who may possess a large and growing family.”