A.—7

20

Section 12 of principal Act (relating to ill usage of apprentice) amended. Provisions applicable In event of breach of duty by apprentice.

8. Section twelve of the principal Act is hereby amended by omitting the words " ton pounds," and substituting the words " fifty pounds." 9. (1.) Any two Justices, on application or complaint by an employer or by the Minister against an apprentice concerning any breach of duty, disobedience, or ill behaviour, shall hear, examine, and determine the same in a summary way ; and may, in their discretion, determine that the wages of the apprentice shall be subjcct to reduction by an amount not exceeding one-half thereof for a period not exceeding two months. (2.) If the complaint or part of the complaint against an apprentice under Part I of this Act is that the apprentice has absented himself from and remains absent from the service of the employer, the Justices may issue a warrant for apprehending such apprentice, and directing him to be brought before them or before any two Justices, who shall hear and determine such complaint. In any such cases the Justices, in addition to any direction for reduction of wages of the apprentice as provided by the last preceding subsection, may direct that the apprentice be returned in custody to the residence of the employer. (3.) Any two Justices, upon the application or complaint of the Minister or of some officer of the Department of Immigration appointed in that behalf by the Minister, alleging or complaining that an apprentice under Part I of this Act refuses or neglects to submit to due control, shall hear, examine, and determine the same in a summary way. If the Justices, having regard to the duty undertaken by the Government to the apprentice, and to the parents or guardians (if any) of the apprentice, and having regard to the conduct of the apprentice, determine that it is in the best interests of the apprentice that the indenture should be cancelled and the apprentice be sent back to the United Kingdom, they may make an order under their hands to that effect. An apprentice in respect of whom such order has been made may be apprehended without further warrant, and be detained in such custody as the Minister appoints, and be conveyed on board such ship as the Minister directs. The cost of the passage of the apprentice to the United Kingdom, and of his conveyance from the port of arrival in the United Kingdom to the place where he resided at the time of execution of the first indenture, shall be paid out of the Consolidated Fund. 10. (1.) The Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, make all such regulations as may in his opinion be necessary for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Act. (2.) All such regulations shall be published in the Gazette, and shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament within fourteen days after their publication in the Gazette if Parliament is then in session, and if not, then within fourteen days after the commencement of the next ensuing session.

Regulations.

APPENDIX F. The New Zealand Farmers' Union, Inc. Junior Immigration. Young, healthy lads are needed on the farms of the Dominion to replace; the wastage of war. From statistics available it has been calculated that slightly over 30 per cent, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was made up of farmers and farm hands. As the total casualties of the New Zcalaiul Expeditionary Force were 17,659, it is safe to state that about four thousanei men engaged in farming pursuits lost their lives. Moreover, many of the farmers among the forty-one thousand wounded were injured so badly that they arc now unable to go back to the land. As our own boys prefer a city life to one in the country, what can replace this wastage better than the importation of bright, healthy lads, between the ages of fifteen anel seventeen, who would soon become acclimatized to the customs and life of the country and become true New-Zealanders. With the slump holding the farmers of the country in its power immediately after the cessation of hostilities in the late war, nothing for the future has been thought out and done by them to remedy the ravages of war ; but, with normally prosperous times looming up ahead again it behoves the farmers of this land to use every available means to secure that increase in production which is the very life-blood of this country. These young immigrants will make successful farmers in the backblocks in years to come, and much of our remaining second- and third-class lands will be brought into cultivation and the productiveness of the Dominion increased. Recognizing the true worth of junior immigration, all the States in Australia, with the exception of Victoria, have formulateel schemes for the absorption of boy immigrants. The most successful is that of South Australia, where the " Barwell scheme "is in operation. The main points in this scheme are— (a.) 6,000 boys from fifteen to eighteen to take up farm-work in South Australia. (b.) Minimum wage has been fixeel at rates varying with the age of the boy, viz. : 15-16, 10s. to 17s. 6d.; 16-17, 12s. 6d. to 20s. ; 17-18, 15s. to 225. 6d.