FLOCK HOUSE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 49, 28 January 1932, Page 6

FLOCK HOUSE.

EMPLOYMENT OF NEW ZEALAND BOYS. VIEWS OF PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION. “It will be a case of “find the money,” said Mr T. B. Kay, secretary of the Auckland Provincial and War Relief Association, when referring ■to the proposal to train New Zealand boys, the sons of returned soldiers, at Flock House. “This matter has not been before my committee 'yet, but, speaking personally, I should say Ghat the difficulty will be finance.-' I dont see that we have ,any money td" be used in that, way, and I am fairly sure other kindred bodies have not' either. The National War Funds Coiincil or the Canteen Board and Regimental Trust Board are the only ones that might have finance available, but it would be a big drain on their 'resources.’’ . . . ’ As far as the conception; of the scheme was concerned, Mr Kay was in favour of it.' It would be an aid to unemployment among youth, which wais to be desired. He thought it might have been opened'to more than the sons of ex-servicemen, but then the question of finance was. still more difficult. As it stood at present, Flock House money could be used only to help the' dependants of sailors.; and any money of his association could aid only those dependent on the- soldiers. Perhaps the Government would aocepc responsibility. . FAVOURABLY INCLINED. Mr E. H. Sharp, secretary of the. Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association, also speaking personally, was favourably inclined to the proposition. He supposed it would be run on similar lines to the Trentham Scholarship fund. The first opportunity might be given to; the dependants of those who had been killed in the, war, the second to the dependants of, those who nswi been disabled, and finally, those who had had no one disabled. Ought be given the opportunity. ... Hp jhoticea that the committee" proposed’ was a widely representative one.; ■ ; I/ike others, he realised that finance would be the stumblmg-block, Niunbers who might be assisted . lti any case would not be large, for one reason. that the accommodation at Flock Hoffse was strictly limited, blit all things being equal, he said the scheme might be productive of much good. If returned soldiers’ money was to be used in the finance, he thought that only the dependants of those men should be considered. Even then only a small percentage of them could be assisted.

CONSIDERATION TO OTHER BOYS. The. problem of unemployed. -boys was coming to be realised as one of tne major ones, and something would have to be done to help them, ? said Mr W. J. Holdsworth, who has long been interested in all the aspects of land settlement. Unemployment was not restricted to the sons of ' ex-ser-vicemen. He thought, therefore, that the privileges of Flock House might well be extended to lads others than the sons of ex-New .Zealand Expeditionary Force men. \ If the-numbers receiving the facilities of Flock House were to be increased, it would mean that any Government subsidy would have to b*p spread over a greater number of boys, but Mr-. Holdsworth thought that the trustees of the station and the Government might come to some arrangements about the financing of the project. “Some time ago I suggested that a camp should be. formed in which lads might be taught the rudiments of farming,” added Mr Holdsworth “but it was considered to be impossible. Now I see‘ that the WTeTlington , Rotary Club and the Y.M.C.A. have co-operated to set up a camp along the same lines as I proposed for Auckland.” ' He still thought that something like that could be done in Auckland to provide both work and training for boys. “The Wellington .camp .is to be a sort of a clearing-house for farmers,” he said, “and the boys will merely leave the camp to continue their training on a farm proper.”