RELIEF FOR SEAMEN.

Wairarapa Age, 18 December 1924, Page 3

RELIEF FOR SEAMEN.

N.Z. SHEEPOWNERS’ FUND.

A BIG EXPENDITURE

The fourth annul report of the N. Z. sheepowners ’ Acknowledgement of Debt, to British Seamen Fund was submitted at the annual meeting at Wellington yesterday. It states that improved industrial conditions have relieved the Fund from the necessity of assisting a considerable number of men who in less favourable times were unable to obtain employment suited to their disabilities. In almost every case which is now being assisted by the fund the need of relief is directly or indirectly the result Of service afleat during the war. The trustees feel that they are now in a position to indicate with some degree of accuracy the extent to which the Fund will be called upon to render assistance in the future. There are a considerable number of permanently disabled sailors and dependents who can be regarded as -being more or less permanent beneficiaries and they will represent au annual expenditure of approximately £l,BOO. With the possibility of other such eases and allowing for assistance to cases of partial or temporary disablement, the fluid’s expenditure in relief payments in New Zealand will, for some years to come, be about£2,soo per annum. Farm Operations.

The Flock House property has been fully stocked with sheep and cattle, the latter comprising a large wellbred herd of Polled Angus cows and heifers, bullocks for fattening, and a dairy herd of grade Jerseys. The sheep are of good Romney type, the breeding ewes and ewe hoggets taken over from Waitatapia being exceptionally good. A good lambing was obtained and all the stock are in good condition.

A start was made in July with the afforestation of the lighter land, 75 acres being planted with pinus radiata and a nursery has been established to provide trees for planting 100 acres in each of the two following years. Employment of Boys.

The Trustees have received many applications from farmers who wish to obtain the services of the boys as farm assistants when they are fitted for emloyment. Preference is given, as employers, to subscribers to the fund, and the utmost care is taken to place the boys suitably. Up to date. 19 boys have been placed in satisfactory positions with good homes and at current rates of wages on three years agreement with subscribers to the fund, as follows:—Wairarapa 1, Hawkes Bay 5, Poverty Bay 1, Wanganui 2, North Taranaki 7, Welling-ton-Manawatu 8, Marlboroughl.

The trustees’ interest in the lads will not cease until the time comes when they are all satisfactorly settled on farms of their own and in a position to help others in the way they have themselves been helped. tE-o, bandd Pd,o fin ebryda Zrt