UNEMPLOYED BOYS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1932, Page 5

UNEMPLOYED BOYS

M.P’S REPORT FARMING THE MAIN PROPOSAL. (Per Press Association — Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, December 21

Conclusions reached by Messrs A. E. Ansell, M.P. for Chalmers, and S. G. Smithy M.P. for New Plymouth, as the resuit of their recent investigation of the juvenile unemployment problem are contained in a comprehensive report they have prepared dealing with many phases of the subject. The report has already been submitted to the Cabinet. A-precis of it, together with recommendations made, was released to-day. After pointing out that the secondary industries offered slender chances for the absorption of boys, the Committee considers that agriculture offers the most promising field for the employment of young men, A land settlement scheme is recommended whereby Crown land would be developed by suitable young men, who would, ultimately, become settlers. During its investigations the Committee noted a very definite aversion on the part of the average boy to take up farming pursuits In discussing what they term the educational bias which has led boys awny from the land, the committee mentioned that, whereas the Languages and Mathematics in the Senior Free Place Examination enabled a candidate to receive 400 marks for each subject, the maximum marks for chemistry, botany, and agriculture were only 200. It is suggested that the latter should carry the same pass marks as the language subjects. “We are convinced that this problem is one of the most vital facing tht people of New Zealand to-day, and is in fact, the most acute human problem with which this generation has been called upon to deal,” stated Messrs Smith and Ansel!.

After expressing high appreciation of public-spirited effort which has already led to a mesaure of success, they give figures indicating what has already been done, and the extent of the remaining problem, These figures show that the boys registered as unemployed total 5908. Of this number 2850 have been placed in employment, the classification being as follows: Placed on farms, 1172; in trade, 241; in shops and offices, 593; misce.laneou s 664. This leaves a total of 3044 still on the unemployed roll. These unemployed boys are the nation’s greatest asset, says the report, and the responsibility for dealing with this problem i s one which concerns every citizen, ft is not a task that call, of should he, borne, by the Gov* eminent, hut is one that essentially attaches itself, outside the parent, to ioeul organisations and to individual citizens.

They continued: "As a result jof our inquiries, we are convinced that an organised committee of citizens (representative of every walk in life) in the various centres can deal most effectively with the problem. There is no comparable substitute.” The report recommends that in eacu centre where this problem exists, there should be established a general council representing the citizens, and representative of all interests, and dealing with matters of policy and the extension of activities. Working in close association with this general council there should be an executive committee. consisting of the convenors of subcommittees, which would undertake special duties. Tile activities of these sub-committees should cover (1) Phy* sical development; (2) general educational development; (3) vocational and provoentiona] development; (4) athletic development; (5) social development. “An especially distressing feature of the problem,” states the Committee, ‘"is the large number of apprentices who have uncompleted periods of apprenticeship contracts and who are now unemployed for reasons either that there is no work or training in the shops or factories where they were employed, or their employers, either indivduals or firms, have gone out of business on account of general trade depression.”

It is pointed ‘out that "unless a remedy is found, a most serious condition will arise when trade becomes normal and the (demand for skilled men increases, because skilled men will then have to be imported, and our own boys will become unskilled workers. The normal solution is work, but if there is none available, a substitute must bo found. Technical training can provide a stepping stone to regular employment when industry revives. The country may not at present he able to employ these boys, but can still less afford to let them drift.” A careful investigation of opportunities for boys in town occupations was made hv the committee who declare that "at no time in the history of New Zealand have commerce and industry offered such slender chances for the rhsc-nt’on of hoys on completing their school life.” The committee stresses the importance of land oocnnations in view of New Zealand’s almost complete financial dependence on returns from exported products of the land. Various organisations working for the welfare of workless hoys have been able to nlace a mr iber of hoys on farms, hut it is considered something further should be done -for them in order that they might ultimately become estab-

lished as farmers, rather than remain farm workers. The time lias arrived for evolving a definite land settlement scheme, whereby young men who have completed a. course at an Agricultural College or at an Agricultural High School, and who have obtained a certificate of approval from such colleges or schools, and who have worked for a period of not less than two years on a farm or a station, and who have shown by their diligence ana competency that they will prove to be efficient farmers, shall be given every encouragement and facility to make good and ultimately become farmers themselves, instead of remaining farm workers, or seeking other avenues of employment. Such a scheme would bo the means of placing on > the land a most desirable and efficient type of farmer* and would prove an incentive to boys to enter agricultural life, thus ultimately creating a national asset which could not be too highly assessed.