FLOCK HOUSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22349, 21 February 1936, Page 15

FLOCK HOUSE

BENEFITS OF £148,056 NEED FOR LAND POLICY REVIEW OF OPERATIONS IBY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION'] WELLINGTON, Thursday At the annual meeting of subscribers to the New Zealand SheepownersV Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund (otherwise known as the Flock House Scheme) held yesterday, the chairman of the hoard of trustees, Mr. Edward Newman, said that since the commencement of operations of the fund the following assistance had been given to British seamen and their dependants:—Cash grants to beneficiaries in New Zealand and overseas, £61.847; loans to beneficiaries (outstanding). £1695; immigration training, after-care and settlement of boy and girl dependants, £84,514; total, £'148,056. In moving the adoption of the report of the trustees, which was carried, Mr. Newman remarked that a land policy was wanted in New Zealand that, without injustice to the present owners of i land, and after providing for all per- ! sonal and family claims, would prevent \ single individuals from blocking Settle- I ment by holding back large areas of first-class land suitable for close settle- ! ment. The first step must be the classi- ' (ication ol land according to its carry* ing capacity of human population. " The last overseas boys left Flock House in 19:52, and although for three ears the same work has been carried 011 \\ ith local boys with good results, this is not the work for which Flock House was established." stated the annual report. " It is hoped at some not far distant date to bo able to make such arrangements that the Flock House training establishment can revert to its original, i or a similar purpose, and that seamen's ' sons who are wards of the fund can again be trained for a farming career, ! and later assisted to acquire their own I homes in New Zealand."

The organisation had kept jin the closest possible touch with the 763 overseas boys and girls who had been trained at Flock House. They had all become an integral part of "the community and little oversight was required. A further 97 New Zealand soldiers' sons were received at Flock House last year. Eighty-one completed their training, leaving 51 in residence. All those who left were placed in permanent positions, at fair rates of wages, with good living conditions and opportunities for further advancement. Very great difficulty had been experienced in keeping the number of trainees up to that required for economical management. The property formerly used for the training of girls at Palmerston North, was no longer required, and steps had been taken to subdivide it, and it would be ottered for sale.