START THEM YOUNG.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 206, 31 August 1929, Page 11

START THEM YOUNG.

AGRICULTURAL TRAINING.

BOYS' CAMPS SUGGESTED.

LAND LEAGUE'S APPROVAL.

A report submitted at the meeting of the New Zealand Land Settlement and Development League yesterday pointed out that for nearly three' years the league had been urging a scheme in which boys could" be used in cadet groups to break in land and later enjoy proprietorship at cost of production,' the whole operation to be carried out under skilled supervision and business management and the boys to be invited to participate •in the phases so that they could iinderetand the matters covering the different sections. The importance of this was obvious in view of the increasing difficulties, of finding suitable employment for bovs.

The league, therefore, welcomed the suggestion of Mr. J. N. Massey in Parliament that agricultural training camps should be held for lads leaving school. Apart from giving boys something useful to do, these camps on undeveloped lands, and under the supervision of qualified farmers, would impart theoretical and practical knowledge, and possibly lead to the boys acquiring the same, land at cost price or ordinary valuation. The league drew attention to this suggestion with the idea of assisting a favourable public attitude to encourage the Government in a national enterprise of this nature.