BOY IMMIGRANTS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5470, 4 September 1929, Page 2

BOY IMMIGRANTS.

CHECK ASKED FOR. ADVISABILITY QUESTIONED. Mr R. Semple has given notice to ask the Prime Minister whether he will take steps to check the number of boy immigrants brought to the Dominion by the Salvation Army and other similar organisation, “in view of the fact that thousands of nativeborn New Zealanders cannct secure employment.” It is no doubt true that the question of juvenile employment is becoming a problem, but it is also true that the farming industries can readily absorb the boy immigrants referred to, because boys are in demand (states the Wellington Dominion). Until Flock House and other schemes of juvenile immigration were organised the farmers had the greatest difficulty in obtaining suitable labour. The difficulty hitherto has been that New Zealand-born boys, speaking generally, have not been attracted to the farming industries. It is even problematical whether the training institutions now being discussed as prospective proposi tions for encouraging them to go on the land would be as well supported as the advocates seem to think. At all events that is probably the best way to go about it, and it is certainly worthy of a trial. It will be quite time enough to discuss the question of restricting boy immigration when we find that it is preventing our own boys from taking up farming pursuits. At present there is no evidence that such is the case. The general question of juvenile unemployment another matter altogether. .