A DICK WHITTINGTON STORY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 982, 24 November 1910, Page 5

A DICK WHITTINGTON STORY.

. ■ BOY EMIGRATION. . A misleading report current at, Home frith reference to boy emigration was the Eubjectof,discussion,in of Representatives yesterday. , Mr. .Hogg. (Masterton) had asked, the Government whether they , wero aware that young people., wero being attracted, to .New Zealand by statements of a grossly, misleading character appearing-in the British press, and if they will,.instruct the High Commissioner -to promptly correct these misrepresentations; -..-He said that 'the secretary of tho Eketahiina Chamber of Commerce lias had . the following, clipping, from a leading English newspaper forwarded to him:—''A'scheme for the emigration of London lads to New Zealand has been approved by ■ the Emigration Committee of the Central (Unemployed) Body for London. With tho assistance of, the Dominion. Government, the lads would bo apprenticed with selected employers; .Their earnings would us accumulated for them, and at the end of five years, with the usual Government allowance of JMOO, they would be-able to acquire their .own land for development and. : settlement. The committee is now preparing the .first party of lads, whom it is proposed to send out at an early date." Sir Joseph Ward said "that th& reference;, was evidently to ~ Mr. Scdgewick's scheme of boy emigration,- but the Government was unaware'how statements so utterly without foundation had como to pe circulated in connection with tho project.. Tho High- Commissioner would be asked immediately to i talce steps,, if ho had not already done so, to .have the misstatements contradicted. •"'■■■ Mr. Hogg said that tho scheme looked like an attempt, to'foster juveuilo slavery. It reminded him of the story of Dick Wmttingtom, Tho basis of tho ' whole scheme was cheap labour. ' It was not wise to induce any Homo children to run away, from their homes to como to New Zealand. . . . The Prime Minister said that the Government. had not t nor' would not, make any proposal such as had been published. •When ; Mr. Sedgewick was here . he got ' 1 tf lor S *R r ' 5"- boys at current rates. All the Government had to do was to see that the; lads got r tho advantage of reduced fares.-_Mr; Sedgewick was not employed or paid by tho Government of New Zealand.. All the Labour Department did' was to see that the boys would, bo properlv placed. Be would be glad to cable tliO iiigli Commissioner on tho subject.