R6.262– The Alan Blakney Memorial Fund

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Recitals –

1. On 30 January 2008, Lorna Waller of Nambour, Queensland (‘the donor’) donated the sum of $100,000.00 ‘to be used to provide one or more scholarships for students from disadvantaged rural backgrounds to study at Dookie College’
2. The fund is named in memory of the donor’s brother Alan (Cecil) Blakney, who graduated from Dookie Agricultural College in 1940. He served as a navigator in the RAF during the Second World War, and was awarded a DFC. On his return he farmed initially in Tasmania, and later in Western Australia. He died in March 1983.

3. The University does not operate a college called ‘ Dookie College’. Dookie Agricultural College (often called Dookie College), was established following the enactment of the Agricultural Education Act 1884 (Vic.). The control and administration of Dookie Agricultural College (previously one of the State Agricultural Colleges referred to in the Agricultural Colleges Act 1958 (Vic.)) was transferred to the Council of the Victorian College of Agriculture and Horticulture pursuant to Section 7(1)(a) of the Victorian College of Agriculture and Horticulture Act 1982 (Vic.). Pursuant to section 4 of the Melbourne University (VCAH) Act 1997 (Vic.), the University became the successor in law of the Victorian College of Agriculture and Horticulture Ltd and all its assets and rights, and liabilities and obligations, vested in the University.

4. In a letter from Associate Professor Dennis O’Brien, the head of the University’s Dookie campus, to the donor dated 8 November 2006, which preceded the making of the gift, he said ‘Thank you for your enquiry and interest…At Dookie many students are from farming families who are experiencing severe financial hardship as a result of the ongoing drought and require financial support to help them complete their studies. Privately funded scholarships are one way of ensuring that the Dookie tradition of educating future generations of agricultural scientists and farm managers is maintained…I would like to thank you for your interest in supporting the Dookie campus.’

5. In a letter to the University dated 12 February 2008 the donor stipulated that in the ‘unlikely scenario’ that the University cannot fulfil the purposes for which the fund was established, either through the closure of ‘Dookie College’ or for any other reason, the fund should be transferred to Hawkesbury Agricultural College to provide scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds to study at that college.
6. At 31 March 2008, the amount of the fund was $100,647.95.

It is provided as follows-

1. The sum of $100,647.95, and any accumulations and additions to the sum, forms a fund called ‘The Alan Blakney Memorial Fund’ (‘the fund’) and the fund must be paid into an investment pool and remain there until Council directs otherwise.
2. The net annual income of the fund is to be used to provide one or more scholarships, each of which is to be known as ‘The Alan Blakney Memorial Scholarship’ (‘the scholarships’) to be awarded annually by Council, on the recommendation of-
   
   1. the dean of the faculty of Land and Food Resources (‘the dean’) or the department head responsible for the teaching at the Dookie campus of the University (‘Dookie’); and
   2. a staff member concerned with administering agricultural and natural management courses, nominated by the dean; and
   3. the head of Dookie, or a senior academic staff member teaching agriculture at Dookie
      
      to students from disadvantaged rural backgrounds enrolled at Dookie.

3. Unspent income in any year may be added to the capital of the fund, or be retained as income to be applied in any subsequent year for the purpose of the fund.

4. If at any time the University cannot fulfil the purposes for which the fund was established, either through the closure of ‘ Dookie College’ or for any other reason, the fund is, in accordance with the donor’s direction, to be transferred to the Hawkesbury Agricultural College to provide scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds studying at that college.