THE CORINTHIC BOYS.

Shannon News, 15 August 1924, Page 4

THE CORINTHIC BOYS.

ANOTHER SPLENDI I) LOT. * A WARM SEND-oFF. London, June 1“. By the Corinthic that sailed luom Southampton yesterday the second batch of ; English and Scottish publie school boys that have been selected, by the Headmasters’ Association for training in farming under the scheme initiated py the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, left for New Zealand, and they were accorded a warm send-off. They number 24, and. like those wlib left by the Remuera a few weeks ago, are colonising material of which any country may feel proud, being of the best of the young manhood this country has to offer. Taranaki may be considered lucky in securing such a fine lot of young men, all of whom appear to be possessed of the right spirit and the ambition to get on. Ordinarily such promising youths would have - been absorbed ,in the agricultural life in England and Scotland, but agriculture here is in a bad way, andithe openings are tew.and the handicaps many. In most cases the parents of the boys are in a. position to give lads a “start” as soon as they have acquired the necessary training and experience, ‘and eohsequently .it may be expected that when they have completed their training in Taranaki they will be desirous of securing and operating farms of their own in New Zealand.

, The Taranaki scheme is considered by the headmasters and parents of boys desirous of going .overseas, to offer greater advantages than any other scheme yet propounded for the absorption of the public school boy. “in the first place they have a definite place to go to, each farmer having been carefully selected by the Taranaki organisation for his fitness and ability to take and train a boy on practical lines. He goes out under the aegis of the Government depxtment, and therefore benefits by the exceedingly low steamer and railway fares, and is seen off at Southampton and welcomed at the port of disembarkation by Government emigration officers. On arrival in Taranaki lie is taken charge of by the Chamber, of Commere', and then passed on to the farmer to .whom He; is. allotted for training. During t:he training period the Chamber, or the special committee it has. set up for the purpose, continues to manifest an interest in the boys' welfare, and at the conclusion of the training period, if the boy, desires to take up land for himself, the Chamber is prepared to advise the boy or his parents on any proposition submitted to it, the idea being to protect the boy from any possibility of exploitation, and to assist him in every way to become a successful settler.

The further proposal emanating from Taranaki to send* the boys out a year earlier and spend their last! twelve months at the New Plymouth High School, there, to : undertake a special course in subjects of assistance to them later when' (hey arc drafted to the farms for practical training,; has been favourably received here, and already one lad has gone, . and others are applying for entrance to the school. Headmasters of several of (the public schools, in discussing the proposal, agree that such a course would considerably help the boys and facilitate their subsequent training, at ■ the sqme time affording them a unique opportunity of gaining a knowledge of the country under the best conditions, ak?o of making friends and gen : erally gaining the “atmosphere” of the country. ! These practical proofs of interest in the welfare of the English schoolboys have not been lost on the headmasters, and as a result though Canada, Australia, and other places are in the field; keenly desirous of securing this first-class type of migrant, , New Zealand, practically speaking. is the only place that is be-, ing considered by those in authority. It is, therefore, incumbent on the farmers to whose card the boys that have gone are committed to .enter \ into the spirit of this truly national work and so lay the foundations of a scheme fraught with the greatest possibilities for the Dominion’s future settlement and development. - During the past seven weeks, Mr T. C. List, chairman of the Taranaki organisation, has- been very busy attending to the details of the scheme, seeing the boys and their parents, and attending to the attendant/correspond-’ ence. He saw iff at Southampton both lots of boys, and yesterday General Sir Andrew Russell and he addressed the lads prior to their leaving.

Sir Andrew said he had been asked to come down and say a few words to them before they left the. Old Country. “Doubtless,” he said, “you have already had a good many seriAvith your schoolmasters and parents as to what lies before you. 1 Avould like you to know that we have a great interest in you boys and like getting boys of your type to run the country, and to becom e good citizens.”

\ Referring to farming life in New I Zealan, Sir Andrew said that'it was the pleasantest life. He did not >vish the boys to think that they would become millionaires, butt he hop«d that they would succeed in making men of themselves. "Make yourself valuable to your ‘boss,’ ” concluded Sir Andrew, "so valuable, in fact that he will not want to lose you. Do not think that you know everything. Keep your months shut and your.ears open. Do not criticise what you see other people doing - . See if you can’t do it better. Also work with your brains whilst working with your Ijands.” "We ar e looking to you to carry on the business, and to be better farmers than we are to-day. When you get to, New Zealand you will find yourselves receiving friendly welcome, arid placed on a somewhat/ different footing from the ordinary labourer. Do not repeat in the drawing-room what you hear on the farm, nor on tin) farm what you hear on the drawing-r00m... Don’t gossip. “you represent' a, certain type from

this country. Remember always* to .keep, school traditions alive and build them up. Also that you have an obligation jo this country, and it is up to. you to retain the, rcputatiop of the i old Country." In wishing them the best of luck in what ho considered the best country in the ..world, Sir Andrew said, that lie was sure that they were .going, out to a very happy and profitable -life,, and a. pleas ant. one. Mr .List said it was fitting,that they should have been.farewelled by.one of, Mew Zealand’s best-known and..most-, respected 'men. They, would soon find on arrival, in the Dominion that, General Sir Andrew Russell, who; led the New Zealand division in France,, held a high place in the affections of the people. . Mr List proceeded to give the boys some helpful advice. He exhorted them not to observe the eight hours’ day, but to be as industrious as possible and learn everything they could and gain the confidence of the farmer with whom they were serving. “Give rather than take, for jthe more you give the greater will be your reward. Farming in New Zealand is no joy ride. You will have, to

face conditions different from those you hav e been accustomed co, and success will come only from hard wor~ and perseverance on ’your own part. Wc can provide‘you with the opportunities, but what you make - of-rthom rests entirely with you. You can depend upon a .warm-heurtedv.reccp-tion in the Dominion, but alwajs icmembcr nob to assume anything savouring of’’superior airs, * which the colonial- detests but to adapti'yourself' as'quickly as you .can to the n,ew conditions, and so become a-Newv-Zea-landerr ’ifr spirit and outlook;.. At--the same' time you carry with you the, traditions of the greati public schools of Britain, and it is for you—-asit-has been the of other 1 English schoolboys who have helped to lay the foundations of our Dominions —to worthily uphold those traditions, and in so' doing you must beneficially influence the life and character of the communities in which you settle* help your a'dopted country the better to achieve its destiny and facilitate your own advancement.” Three hearty cheers were then given for Sir Andrew and Mr. List, aftier

which the vessel moved off in the rain. The* boys are under, their own prefects, and as facets possible sleep and mess together. -r jTMrTliglt' staff have thrown thmselvos heartily., into the work, much of -the suceessu-of 1 -which is due to the personal interest of.'Mr F. T. Sandford, immigration Officer, who was the “right man in .the right place.” Quick' relief from colds In the head. “NAZOL" penetrates the tiniest passages- and, speedily -destroys -germs. .5 6 for 60. doses.* •