EMPLOYMENT FOR BOYS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1926, Page 9

EMPLOYMENT FOR BOYS

LABOUR DEPARTMENT’S AIMS.

PROVIDING SUITABLE WORK.

Wellington, Nov. 18.

A subject of unusual interest, occupations for boys, was dealt with by Mr. F. W. Rowley, Secretary of Lal(ju« and Registrar of Apprentices, at the Wellington Rotary Club luncheon today. The directions in which boys go when seeking employment might be divided into three —commercial and professional occupations, primary and secondary industries, and unskilled or "blind alley” occupations, said Mr. Rowley. It was considered that there was plenty of encouragement and assistance given to boys to take' up professional and commercial occupations. What was wanted was to steer a fair proportion of boys into the second group, .so that they might become qualified in the important primary and secondary industries of the dominion, for after all the prosperity of the community depended upon these. xThe Labour Department had for the past three years obtained reports from the head teachers of the primary schools in the principal towns of the Dominion and then communicated with the boys and their parents inviting applications to the department for advice and assistance, continued Mr ; Rowley. The department’s officers had made it known to the employers in the various manufacturing industries throughout these towns by means of advertisement and circulars, that they had a large number of boys applying to them and inviting the employers to approach the department for the boys they might require. Contrary to expectations the response from employers right throughout the Dominion had been very small and although the department had repeated the endeavour each year very little improvement had been brought about. For example, in Wellington city in 1924, only five employers approached the department’s office and in 1926, a total of 29 applied. But even then only six vacancies were filled. In Auckland 271 boye applied last year, but only 16 employers responded to tile invitation to obtain boys at the office. This position had resulted in keen disappointment to the boys and their parents, and unless employers could be prevailed .upon to utilise the services of the officers of the department the scheme would no doubt fall through. It wae resolved that the question of vhe employment of boys on leaving school be referred-to the boys’ committees of all rotary clubs throughout the dominion.