WORK FOR JUVENILES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 581, 6 February 1929, Page 8

WORK FOR JUVENILES

CONFERENCE AT WELLINGTON

INVESTIGATION URGED Press Association WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A conference of various local bodies and the Labour Department was held here to consider the problem of finding employment for youths who have j, m left school. After listening to an address by Alt F. W. T. Rowley, secretary of the Labour Department, who presided there was some discussion. Summing this up. Mr. Rowley said obviously vocational guidance was not going t Q increase the number of jobs offering He was convinced that something was wanted on the lines advocated bv one of the speakers, who said boys should be trained as they are at Flock House and assisted on the land, for farming presented a practically unlimited market and it might be made to absorb more labour than any other industry Mr. Bromley, representing the Trades and Labour Council, moved that the Government be recommended to raise the age of leaving school bv cne year, financial relief being given to parents in necessitous cases. “it was more economical," he said, “for industry to employ only efficient and profitable labour and for the Government to keep the children at school than to pay unemployment doles to adults. COMMISSION USELESS The setting up of a Royal Commission ■was advocated by/Mr. Campbell, who said the meeting had not got sufficient data before it to express any opinion as to the effect of raising the school leaving age. A committee to investigate unemployment. juvenile unemployment being part of the general problem, was already in existence, said Mr. Bromley, but was not functioning owing to the political upheaval. To set up a Royal Commission was the surest way of killing anything. His proposal* although not effecting a permanent cure, would do something. Mr. Bromley’s motion, which was seconded by Mr. Cornwell, was lost when put to the meeting. Mr. Campbell’s motion, amended to read, “that the Government should bo urged to set up a committee to investigate the problem," was carried. Mr. Cornwell, Trades and Labour Council, then moved that it should bo a recommendation to the Government that the hours of the working week should be reduced in number, this being the only sane and sensible solution of the world’s problem of unemployment. In seconding this motion. Mr. Bromley said that the overtime would have to be prohibited, too. This motion was lost, one of those present saying that it would come in time, but was five years too soon.