BIG BROTHERS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1928, Page 6

BIG BROTHERS

A r.STH Ald AN MOVEMENT. HAI’I ULY EXPANDING. SrDXIKY. Dee. 13. Australian people seem to have become convinced that-if there must lie migration from Britain it is better to encourage young folk to try (heir hand in a. new country. Labour is distinctly opposed In the migration of workers, and while there is so much unemployment in each of t.lie States its attitude is not to b'> wondered at. The same arguments do not apply to the introduction of hoys and girls, and that is one reason for the rapid giowth of the Big Brother Movement under which Little Brothers come, to Australia and are eared for until they reach manhood. There are now 1540. Little Brothers in Australia, of whom the majority (000) are in Victoria, and it is reported that they are all doing well on farming and grazing properties. Little Brothers conlinuc to arrive in monthly piiotas, and New South Wales and Victoia absorb 25 each month. There will ho no arrivals during December and January, so the next hatch is due in tFehmary and there are a good many Big Brothers ready to assume fraternal responsibilities for the lads. Still, it is the desire of the managers of the scheme to continue to enrol citizens who - are prepared to act as brothers to the hoys until they get a footing in Australian life. The responsibility of a Big Brother involves no legal or financial obligations other than those which he may vo'untarilv accent and lie is not expected. even, to find \\(ork for the hoy. The organisation attends to the matter of employment, and keeps in regular correspondence with Hie hoy and his parents, his “employer.” and his Big Brother as well. The work of letter writing therefore, is assuming large proportions. Nearly TOO letters are sent .out nearly every day, so it is necessary to employ a large staff, most of whom arc voluntary helpers. The effect of'so nnieli correspondence, especially with the parents in Britain, is to advertise Australia- very broadly throughout the Old Country. The service which the movement does for the whole Community in making Australia knbwu as a field for immigration constitutes a strong claim to support from the public. The movement brings out the hoys, and their parents and friends, who receive glowing accounts I

from the boys themselves of their adopted <> •u 11 try, very often follow. An indication of the success which comes to hoys under the auspices of the Big Brother movement is given in a letter which the secretary of the Yieorian Branch received recently from two English lads who have been only or years in the country. They wrote that they were now well established on a small st a titan property of their own'. They had 2100 acres and were stocking it with 1500 sheep, and they were going to breed fat lambs. They were also putting 150 acres under crop. They owe. their good progress partly to their own thrift and industry, lmt largely to the generosity of their B’g Brother, who has put them in a position to purchase the nrbpcrty on eas>- terms. In the time they have been in the country they have saved a fair amount of capital. Another letter was from a farmer, who said that his hoy was an excellent worker, and that the movement inspired confidence, because it gave the lad and his cmnloyer a knowledge that there would he just dealings between the two.