EXTENSION URGED

Wairarapa Daily Times, 25 January 1932, Page 4

EXTENSION URGED

FLOCK HOUSE SCHEME. CONFERENCE CALLED. The trustees of the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund have issued an invitation to Patriotic Associations, R.S.A. Associations, and allied organisations, to attend a conference on February 24th with a. view to determining the- possibilities of continuing the Flock House system of farm training, after-care and settlement with New Zealand boys. It is felt that by devoting a small portion of their funds to this purpose, the Patriotic Associations can greatly relieve the circumstances of many returned soldiers by ensuring to their sons a sound training and subsequent career on the land. “Flock House is a war memorial,” states the letter, “and it is much to be desired that that feature should be retained, consequently the Trustees hope that the extension to New Zealand boys may be to the sons of ex-N.Z. Expeditionary Force men. The trustees are empowered to expend monies only on the dependents of seamen, but they arc willing to extend the full benefits of the farm and station, land, stock, buildings, equipment, staff and organisation to the sons of soldiers, provided the maintenance of the latter is arranged for.

“The whole question resolves itself into one of ways and means, and my trustees are of opinion that these important issues and the practical details of the extended organisation can be satisfactorily solved only by united action by and co-ordination of each body interested, and the formation of a strong combined committee with authority from the- different bodies to act in the desired direction. ,For this purpose, my trustees desire to invite your association to send a representative or representatives to a conference to be held at Flock House Station on Wednesday, 24th February. Representatives are being asked to attend the conference from each Patriotic Association throughout the Dominion, each branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, headquarters of the Returned Soldiets ’ Association, the National War Funds Council, and others interested. Among the suggestions made is an outline of the form in which the conference should take is: That the Go\ernment be requested to subsidise the cost of maintenance for soldiers sons during training on a fifty-fifty basis; that all trainees shall be drawn from or nominated by the district represented by the guaranteeing association; that such trainees to be subsequently placed in employment if possible in tne districts from which they were drawn; that the local branch of the R.S.A. in conjunction with the local Patriotic Association and assisted by the Y.M.C.A. shall give supervision and aftercare to the trainees in the districts in which they are employed; that a permanent combined committee of the War Funds’ Council, Patriotic Associations and R.S.A. be set up to work in conjunction with the trustees of the y lock House Fund in regard to all details of the new organisation; that the maintenance of a- certain fixed number of trainees shall be guaranteed by each of the following: (a) Each Patriotic Association and each branch of the R.S.A. or Patriotic Association and branch of the R.S.A. in the same district in conjunction, (b) War Funds’ Council, (c) Canteen Fund through Trentham Scholarship Fund, (d) Trustees of Seamen’s Fund, in regard to any trainees who come within the provisions of the Flock House Trust.