BOYS ON THE LAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1920, Page 5

BOYS ON THE LAND.

THE SYSTEM OF INDENTURE LADS AS IMMIGRANTS. (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, Last Night. The Master and Apprentice Amend-' ment Bill, introduced by the Minister for Agriculture, deals with the indenturing of boys between the ages of fifteen and nineteen years to farm work, The first part applies only to farm apprentices, whose passages' from England to New Zealand are assisted by the .Government. • • . * The Master and Apprentice Act, 1908, requires that the indenture of apprenticeship should be executed by ,the parent or guardian of the boy and by the employer. Compliance witli this provision is impossible where arrangements are made, for the immigration of the boys to be subsequently employed, the boys being under age and their own contract does not bind them. The Government undertakes the care and.control of such boys, and therefore raters into a more or less definite arrangement with the parents, guardians or relatives . in the United Kingdom for due provision being made in New Zealand for the employment of the boy, and provision of proper food and comfort and clothing. Unless a boy is bound to remain in his employment, and be subject to such control by his employer a# is provided in the Master and Apprentice Act, it is impossible for the Government to perform its engagements. Further it is necessary that the boys should, be under some control from the time of their departure until their engagement in New Zealand. For these objects provision is made for an indenture signed by the High Commissioner and the boy, becoming binding in England, and afterwards until the boy readies the age of twenty years or until it is cancelled with the consent of the Minister.

These facts are detailed in a ccVe'ring memorandum to the Bill which was circulated. The memorandum states further that special provision is being made enabling the Minister to alter the indenture signed in England in a manner advantageous to the boy, but sot otherwise. The clause extending the apprenticeship to twenty years is necessary because it ia not intended to engage boys of an age less than sixteen, and it is desired to engage them up to an age of somewhat over eighteen years, but under nineteen. It is approved that after the first year the apprentice shall receive, full wages according to his age and capacity, the standard being the wages ruling in the district for lads of a like agp and capacity. The second part of the Bill relates to the farm apprenticeship of boys already resident in frew Zealand, and extends the benefit of part one to such Soys.