TRAINING FOR LAND

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 129, 27 November 1929, Page 20

TRAINING FOR LAND

NEK ZEALAND BOYS UNEQUAL OPPORTUNTIY;

At the last meeting of the executive of the Maorilanders * Association strong exception was taken to remarks reported in the public Press as having been made by Mr. E. Newman, to the effect that New Zealand boys would not go on the land, the inference being drawn that this statement was meant to justify the continued importation of English lads to bo trained for agricultural occupations.

Mr. M. J. Forde, who introduced the subject, said that it was grossly unfair to New Zealand youth that such an assertion should bo made. New Zealand youth would go on the land, and be glad £0 do so, if they were given the special training and opportunities afforded the lads brought out to New Zealand under the Flock House training scheme. It was not the first time that such a statement had been made, and it was their duty as members of a New Zealand association which had the interests of I New Zealanders at heart, to enter a, protest at the injustice being done to the native-born youths of this country. Mx. Newman should have explained that the reason why so many youthful immigrants were following agricultural occupations was that special facilities were afforded them in the shape of assisted passages, training at an institution provided for their benefit, and special attention in assisting them to secure employment. If these facilities were available for the youths of New. Zealand he was sure that many of them would take full advantage of the opportunity of taking up agricultural occupations.

"AMBITION TO BECOME FARMERS." '

Mrs. Maslen said if New * Zealand youths were ; :given the same square deal as the immigrants they would take advantage of the opportunity of being trained as farmers. Many of them had an ambition to become farmers, but ™c same inducement was not offered them. Why were these special advantages only available for youths brought out from Britain?

Ti,?i e|- resident J Mt' J- a- Shand) said Mock House and the special advantages offered to -English youths to come to New Zealand and be trained for agricultural pursuits were available through the contributions of the sheep owners to the Debt to British Seamen I?und established during the war. 16 was their practicall way of showing their gratitude to the British seamen for helping them to get their wool to the Home market. It was to be regretted that some similar provision had not been made- for many New Zealand sons who had lost their fathers during the Great War. •

Mrs. Maslen hoped that in fairness to New Zealand lads similarly -placed precisely the same facilities to train for agricultural occupations should be available for their lads. Flock House lads had expert training and personal supervision, and part of their earnings were banked for them, so that when they finished their training they were fitted to enter the battle of life. Mrs. Campbell expressed the opinion that New Zealand lads had a natural advantage over other lads in the matter of practical farm training, being more easily adaptable for agricultural work than lads from the big cities. Mr. G. Dyer said there was no doubt that special efforts were made on behalf of the boys brought to New Zealand, while the New Zealand boys were not provided with these special advantages; it did not seem fair. A CHANGE HOPED FOX. The president said that he and many others were hopeful that the land settlement' proposals of the present Government would make a change in the desired direction. Perhaps some scheme of training our own lads for the land would come as the result of the introduction of the new legislation. Mr. G. L. Hooper also said he hoped that following the new land settlement proposals, some scheme for training New Zealand lads for agricultural occupations would be evolved. Mrs. Campbell: "Surely our New Zealand boys have the advantage over lads from overseas, because they know the quality of the land here; it is quite different to that in England, and requires different treatment, with which our boys are already familiar. This would help them a good deal." The following resolution was passed: That this association resents statements that are being made that New Zealand boys and girls have no desire to settle on the land, and contends that if given the opportunities that are now being given to boys and girls from overseas, native-born young people would prove to be more efficient than those that are now being imported, and, furthermore, this association is of the opinion that without delay a scheme for training New Zea-land-born boys and girls on the land should be inaugurated.