"OUR BOYS AND GIRLS."

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4951, 21 November 1884, Page 2

"OUR BOYS AND GIRLS."

',To the Editor of the Evening Star.)

Sic,—With the remarks in your leader of last night's issue I heartily agree "Thafc parents should give their children a p trade," thus furnishing them with the I means of earning an honest living for themselves and those who may hereafter be depending on them, but Sir, where are our boys to learn a trade on the Thames? If a parent enquires at the "STA.B"or " Advertiser " they are told that there is no opening for them at present I The same reply is given at Price Bros, and other local-tradesmen, and after waiting in faio for a favourable answer in some cases for years, our boys (and girls too) hare had to seek other towns for the purpose. I know several most respectable heads of families who have left our district, not that I hey could not make a living for themselves but because there was no opening for ' boys and girls to learn a trade here. What we want, to prevent this kind of thing occurring so often as it has done— and will do again—is the establishing of more local factories, which would find employment for our youth; and I consider that our "public bodies" should make it a part of their business to foster such, obtaining Government aid in some shape or other, or else remit the wharf dues on exports, so as to place local manufactories on a footing with those io, Auckland. If this subject is not con* sidered, and work other than mining provided, our population will continue to decrease, and as the children grow up parents will be compelled to remove as others have done. I have five boys, eaoh wants a trade, and I shall have to provide them with one ere long. I hope, sir, that these matters will not be lost sight of, but that very soon we shall face the difficulty and thus keep both parents and our boyg and girls at home.—l am, <&c, A pABEyTo