The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1912. BOY LABOUR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 80, 1 April 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. MONDAY, APRIL 1, 1912. BOY LABOUR.

The , boy labour ..problem appears to be attracting especial attention at this time in London again, and agitation is taking place with a view to finding remedies for some of the evils alleged -to- exist. The evils attached to tlic, employment of boy labour in what are known as "blind alley" occupations are now being realised. These Wdiud alley'' occupations arc thosa 'in which there' js ho prospect for the /boy, as be grows to manhood. When he grows up and asks for higher wages he is discharged, and a younger buy takes his :i place. He joins the swelling ranks of the unskilled labourers, and for a large part of the remainder of his working life he is C'l! of the unemployed. Among the "blind alley" occupations the worst, according to one authority who has gone deeply into this matter, is that of van boy. Reclining on the top of the goods of a loaded van, or performing amateur acrobatic feats on the tailboard with the aid of a rope which hangs down from the roof of the van, is the van boy, who is employed in some thousands by the carrying companies, and the railway companies which deliver parcels. His work is to help the driver to deliver the goods and to prevent anyone pilfering from the van. Nearly all the London vans are roofed in, and also covered at the front, to protect the contents from the weather, and therefore the driver, who sits perched high up on a small seat in front, cannot keep an eye "on the back of the van, even if it was not necessary for him to keep both his eyes on the traffic. The van boy works from 7 a.m. until 10 or 11 p.m., and he learns little, apart from a slight knowledge of horses and his way about the streets. 'I he lot of the errand boy is almost as bad, and he is outside the protection of factory legislation. lln textile factories, the hours worked by youths are limited to 55J per week, and GO hours in non-textile factories and workshops, with' an hour and a half for meals. The Apprenticeship and Skilled Employment Association is asking that the working hours of ibi vast army of boys employed as messengers, errand boys, and van boys, should be regulated so as to give the youths an opportunity of benefiting by educational facilities, and thereby fitting themselves for skilled employment when they grow up. It is urged that youths between tliß ages of 14 and 18 years should only bo permitted to work 30 hours a week, and should be compelled to attend continuation schools for another 20 hours a week. Something of the kind will have to be done to check th" wasteful employment of boy ia' our, but on the other hand a boy who earns 10s to 12s a week is frequently the main support of h'b mother and younger brothers and sistors. Hardship will be inflicted on them by limiting his earning power. li. is a question which bristles with difficulties, but as it has been dealt with in regard to factories, there i: still more reason why it should be dtv.it with iu "blind alley" occupa-

NOT WANTED. A writer in the "Press" remarks tha: a curious point about the political speculation of the last week or two was tiie complete etfacement of Mr. Buddo. People wondered whether j .Mr. Millar would be in the no.\v (V. - incr, whether Mr. Roderick MOK3II- - would be dropped, and whether Sir James Carroll would retire to a sphere where his duties would b« less onerous. But there was no speculation about Mr Buddo. Appall itl.v that gentleman's departure from the stage where he had played with such entire lack of distinction was regarded as inevitable. He made 'tis -M't amid a silence that could be felt. We aiv not sure that we do not l ; ko him all the better for it. Better silence than undignified outcries at being thrust hack into political obscurity. After all even Mr Buddo must admit that he was a very lucky man ever to have got into office at all." And yet it wasn't so very curious after all, because nobody ever took Mr Buddo seriously as a Minister: few people realised that he ever had been elevated co office, and now he has been effaced—well, he nwer will be missed!

A TRIBUTE. The Christchurch "Press" in referring to the retirement from the Leadership of his Party, pays tribute to Sir Joseph Ward in the following terms: What may be Sir Joseph's intentions in regard to the future we cannot tell. It is impossible that he will long be content with the position of a private member in the House of llepieoontatives. It has been suggested that he may possibly be appointed a member of the Imperial Trade Comm:ss'on, which is to tour the Empire-, with a view of collecting information bearing on its commercial relations. For our part, we ci.ink he would make a very valuable member of such a Commission, and no matter what Government is in power when th«- appointment comes to be made, w? cai not at this moment think of am - public man in New Zealand who could with more propriety be selected for the post. We think it is for the advantage of New Zealand that there sho I'.i be a change from the Ward regime, but we frankly admit that Sir Joseph Ward has done a good deal for the country that is worthy of gi ate fid remembrance, and we hope that his possibilities of serving it have not .been exhausted.