GOOD WILL TOUR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 115, 28 February 1950, Page 2

GOOD WILL TOUR

YOUNG MEN FROM BRITAIN SPONSORED BY ROTARY A party of six young Englishmen arrived in Ashburton from Timaru yesterday morning, in the course of a good will tour of the Dominion.

Their slogan is “Youth Meets Youth,” and, as is indicated, their aim is to meet youth in the high schools, Young Farmers’ Clubs, Junior Cham' bers of Commerce and other organisations. The visit has been arranged by the Rotary International British Isles and New Zealand Rotary.

Unfortunately, at the last minute, the leader of the party, Dr. G. F. Morton, former headmaster of Leeds Modern School, was detained in Timaru.

The members of the party, were: Messrs C. M. Rennie, aged 22, of Leeds, a second year student in sociology at Leeds University; R. H. Willis, aged 21, a farmer’s son and a member of the North Allerton (Yorkshire) Young Farmers’ Club; D. Mellors, aged 24, of Doncaster, a former “Bevin” boy (a person who was conscripted or volunteered for service in English coal mines during the war), who holds an Oxford degree in English; Malcolm Lee, aged 25, of Huddersfield, amateur golf champion of Yorkshire, and* an assistant principal of Kay’s College, Huddersfield; Keith G. Dixon', aged 21, of Ukley, who is studying wool textiles at Salts. (Saltaire) Ltd.; and R. H. Farrar, of Horsford, Leeds, who recently took a Cambridge mathematics degree, and is a master at Malvern School.

Entertained at Lunch \

During the morning the party visited the High School where tligy spoke to the pupils of that school and the Technical School, and afterwards answered questions. The Ashburton Rotary Club entertained the visitors at lunch and present by invitation were members of the Young Farmers’ Clubs, Chamber of Commerce and Junior Chamber, Toe H and the Catholic Club. The president, Mr K. L. Anderson, presided.

Mr C. Rennie, of Leeds, spoke on the background of Britain. At Home, he said, they were exhorted to export, export and e|port, so as to steadily increase the country’s earnings. To date this had been fairly successful in that production had been increased by between 30 and 40 per cent. Although there had been no major improvements in some industries for years, the fact that a certain percentage of profits had to be ploughed back into industry was helping in the modernisation of‘plant. Schools and colleges were devoting more time to fostering technical and industrial careers, but endeavours were being made to retain civilisation and culture while continuing the export drive. England had made a better recovery than any other European country involved in the war and production, per man, stood high. Mr Lee spoke on Education in England, and pointed out that the 1944 Education Act sought to educate all young people from the age of two to 18. For those of two to five years there were nursery schools and creches; five to 11, primary and junior schools; 11 to 15, secondary education, and over 15, part-time education of so many hours a week with lectures, etc. Then a new school, called the Modern School, was formed for those not wishing to take higher education and training and those attending were instructed. in general subjects but not necessarily technical or university courses. Mr Lee concluded by saying that education should assist in character training, as this helped make a pupil, a country and a nation and the whole educative system should work to this end.

British Industry

Mr Dixon spoke on British industry with reference to Bradford and the woollen industry. Conditions at Home were somewhat different from those in New Zealand in that the employee had not usurped the power of the employer. The hours worked were 45 a week, though many employees did 48 hours, being paid at the rate of time and a quarter for all overtime. Mills there -specialised in one proteess, one factory making one type of cloth from beginning to end and not attempting to produce various lines as in this country. European voluntary -workers brought into the factories formed a goodly portion of the employees, and as they were used to hard conditions they were not always sympathetic to the trade unions which were trying to improve the lot of lyorkers. The “closed shop” principle prevailed, and one had to be a member of a union. The workers realised that Britain must either “sink or swim,” and to get their country back on a sound economic basis they must work in with employers and raise production. With better education people were demanding better conditions in mills, etc., so, tp entice more workers, the employers were encouraging sporting activities, had brightened up workshops and started many welfare amenities. New machinery was being installed slowly and, he said, he had been surprised to find some up-to-date plant in this country. Yesterday afterpoon the visitors were motored" round 'the irrigation areas in Winchmore-Lyndhurst and were taken to the powerhouse at Highbank. They left last evening for Christchurch.