BOY IMMIGRATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 324, 10 June 1911, Page 5

BOY IMMIGRATION.

BOYS AND FARMERS SATISFIED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The advisory committee of the Farmers' Union has been watching with close attention the results of a movement to. place town lads from Homo on farms in the Dominion under the auspices of the Department of Labor. The results have already exceeded expectations, and the lessons of the experiment will be very valuable for future guidance. These include selection, ages, types, outfits and the supervision of diet and accommodation on the voyage. The general consensus of opinion is that the arrangements made for the lads after their arrival in New Zealand arc capable of little or no improvement. Employers generally consider that Home town lads arc quite as good on farms as the native-born. They state that they arc keen and anxious to learn, and are willing workers. The boys themselves admit that they found life dull at first, but now they appreciate the variety of their work, the excellent food and the comfortable accommodation provided. Several of them testify to a willingness for their employers to teach them everything. Many state that they have as good a situation as "a fellow could wish for,"

Wages paid by farmers are decidedly good, for in addition to clothing and "found," boys are paid an average of 8s or 9s a week for the first year, with increases according to their services. The average boy will therefore have over £IOO to his credit in a bank when he comes of age, as under the terms of apprenticeship wages are banked for boys under the direction of the Department, only Is per week pocket money being paid out. The Farmers' Union has issued through its branch forms for farmers requiring the services of lads, on which they may state, the age desired, the style of farming pursued, and the wages offered. When these have been received, it is proposed to approach tlio Minister of Labor and request him to re-consider his resolution not to assist in placing any parties of lads until next January—i.e., when the first party have proved their fitness for twelve months. The response is already very satisfactory, and it is hoped that it will be possible to get out a number of lads equal, perhaps, to 75 per cent, of the balance of suitable applications received after all the New Zealand applicants have been suited. There is still a great, demand for female domestic labor, and it seems likely that something may be done on similar lines to this migration of lads to farms.