THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1912. IMPORTED FARM LADS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10663, 19 June 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1912. IMPORTED FARM LADS.

Although ifrom an economic standpoint we cannot see the necessity for Importing farm labour from the ■Motherland when 'we have, or should have, a sufficient supply of the raw material within, our owni -borders, we are (forced ito the admission that the experiment .made by the Rev. T. E. Sedgwick a year, or two back in introduping fifty farm lads, (to /the Dominion', has proved eminently successfiul. The report of Mr Sedgwick, ■which has just come to hand, shows that of the fifty imported lads, fortythree are iknown to be still on the farms under the guardianship of the •Labour Department, two have returned, amid five are believed to be at work ,elsewhere in Australia or New Zealatfd. Al the Londoners have repaid the amount of itheir fares as agreed, bigt three of the others absconded before completing their re-r payment. The boys have also each a considerable' amount of (money to ithelh* credit, Ithirty-five having earned over £25 in the first year, and each will have an average of 'ifrom £7O to £IOO in the bank at the end of three years. Wihen* ft is (remembered thait 50 per cent, is considered a good average of .successes in general emigration) work, (the resullt of 80 per cent, or Over is very satisfactory in a new development of Imperial migration, ■which was formerly -.considered ari imposisible field of operations', and the •conduct of which eittOt-tes- it to he, regalrded as the .strictest experiment ever- made in Imperial .migration. MfJnry useful lessons can be drawn

from this .report, and from the letters krf the 'boys, .their employers, and their Ifriends. The most autsltahvding /point lis that .town lads make admirable farm workers. They are quick 'and active, receptive and hai'd-work->ing. They 'have nothing to uulealrn,, (but coming to their work with ah Open mind, can ilearn, settle, and then (marry. 'Mr. Sedgwick thinks thait the ISTevv (Zealand Government's policy of momiiinaited passages shduld be made definite, eo that all satisfactory immigrants on the land can -be certain that they -can get their friends and relatione out to Ithom at fixed rates (provided the. laitibar are accepted Iby the High Commissioner or 'his representative),, or showing that they 'have- permanent 'employment to, go to which cannot ha filled with Joipal lahour, alnd that the iiamnnaffcor is able 'to support them should they fall sick or out of work. The privilege of nomination is ia great inoerJlive td perfection, but lis not so in tire, present indefinite pcsi'ticm'.' elf eaich case .being jkft to the consideration of the Im,migratidh. " Depairitmemt. Training ifarnxs conducted on' bolonial lines are, |.iccor,diing to Mr Sedgwick, a pressing laeed all over Emgilatod, to avoid the (necessity of apprenticeship for older ilads, to test applicants ahout whose likelihood to prove a success there might be some doubt, and to re-con-(sbfltute those who have deteriorated by ipieriodis oJ starvation and hardship. The Committee of Managers of Boys' Clulbs and other social workers who have the experiment in hand place 'Considerable stress on the question, of 'apprenticeship. Two or three true Imperialists are willing to advance l l'he iiric'ney ifcr the fares a'nd outfits of parities of lads as soon ; as the various Colonial Governments inauguria/te a siimilair system eff apprenticeship, which is in the interest of the hoys and their employers alike. If .this is to be conducted iby the Labour or other Department of the State interested the lads are assured of four wages,; gradually increasing, being .paid! into the hanik, constant empjtoyaneht, good treatment, and a •thorough (instii-inction ia all that they iteed to.know to start oh their own account ire' a few years' time. The •employers do not ifeel that 'by taking ■extra trouble- in (teaching ai hoy they •are likely to lose his services ?n the limmediate future. • The New Zealand Government will probably do nothing ifurther in this Imperial direction ,unjtil her home politicall ; hdrizon has cleaired, although her ifanmers are clamouring for more labour. Three States in Australia now offer half .rates of fare to suitable .town lads Iproceedimlg .to farms, ■ hut have not institoted'any system of apprenticeship., 'New South Wales offers emitable English town boys three months' free training ori a Government Ifanm mear iSydney, 'and the. other two States of the Commonwealth are very favourable towards the idea.