FAIRBRIDGE FARM SCHOOLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22628, 20 July 1935, Page 17

FAIRBRIDGE FARM SCHOOLS

APPEAL FUND REACHES £70.000 NEW SCHOOL ON VANCOUVER ISLAND A NEW ZEALAND SUGGESTION. (From Our Own Correspondent. ) (By Air Mail) LONDON, June 29. A year ago the Prince of Wales opened an appeal for £IOO,OOO for the extension of child emigration on the lines of the Fairbridge Farm School in Western Australia. It was announced at the annual meeting of the Child Emigration Society this week that as much ae £70,000 had been collected at a_ cost of less than 6 per cent. The chairman of the society (Mr L. R. Lumley. M.P.) said he very much doubted if a similar appeal had ever been carried out at such a small cost. This was largely due to Mr Gordon Green, the secretary, who would be entitled to the lion’s share of the credit for any extensions that were made. In epite of the closing down of migration on general lines, the society had extended its work during 1934, said the chairman. During the year they sent to Western Australia 138 children —a larger number than ever sent before in any one year. The demand for Fairbridge children in Western Australia, which had been a remarkable feature in the past, had been more than maintained, and during the year there were over 1800 applications for Fairbridge children from employers mostly farmers. To meet these application? there was only the normal output of 67 children leaving the school and some older children who were available. It was evident that the school continued to turn out young citizens for Australia who were appreciated. Visitors had reported on the happiness of the children and the efficiency of the organisation. , ..... Some time ago they turned their attention to the problem of extending their work. They felt that the school had proved its worth. Last year an appeal for fund* waa launched by the Prince of

Wales and Mr Baldwin, and the response justified them in starting a second Fairbridge Farm School. It was decided that it should be on Vancouver Island, where a property of approximately 1000 acres was selected. The first cottages were now being erected there, and a party of 28 boys would go out next month, followed shortly afterwards bv a party of 28 girls. The school would be known as the Prince of Wales’s Fairbridge Farm School. FLOCK HOUSE SCHEME.

A few days ago their appeal fund reached £66,000, and it had been increased that morning by a cheque for £6OOO. They were grateful to those who were helping the society in its work. They were collecting money in order to translate it into numbers of Fairbridge children in the Empire. The time was coming when they would have to consider still further extension. Some little time ago the Flock House authorities of New Zealand had approached the society and had suggested the establishment of a Fairbridge Farm School on part of their property. Since they had been in touch with the New Zealand Prime Minister in London, and they had had some preliminary talks about the matter. He could not say more than that at the present time. It would be wrong to make extensions unless they were fully sure they could afford them. If the full £IOO,OOO were available, they would fee! justified in going in for further extensions. Their work has now attracted wide attention, and recently they had an inquiry from Germany as to how a farm school should be run. In the society they believed they were helping in a email way to solve the social problems of this country, and also helping the dominions to solve one of their problems by populating their lands with British stock. INDEPENDENT TRIBUTES. Field-marshal Sir William Birdwood, who has recently joined the council of the society, described his impressions of the Western Australian school which he

had visited on two occasions. He was greatly impressed with the happiness of these children, many of whom had never known the care of a mother or father. He was impressed with the orderliness and discipline. They were taught they had got to work willingly for their fel-low-beings. Sir William mentioned that his daughter, who lived within 60 mile® of the Fairbridge Farm, had always employed the girls from the farm, and had found them good workers and very satisfactory in every way. He suggested that the Prince of Wales’s motto, “ 1 Serve,” should be printed over the main doors of the various farm houses. Sir Stanley Argyle (formerly Premier of Victoria) said he had been approached by members of the Northcliffe Trust, who wanted Government assistance to start a school on Fairbridge lines. He visited the Fairbridge Farm School in Western Australia, and also saw some of the children who had left the school after training there, and when he returned to Victoria he said he was; willing to pledge the State, the Commonwealth Government, and the Imperial Government to carry on a school in Victoria on Fairbridge lines. He was satisfied that this form of migration must be successful. Colonel S. J. Heath (director of the school) also spoke on the work of the school. Officers of the society were elected for the ensuing year, and a resolution was passed changing the name of the society to the Fairbridge Farm Schools (Incor porated).