BOYS ON FARMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 194, 18 August 1933, Page 6

BOYS ON FARMS.

May I state my son's experience of .work on a farm? He became -sixteen years of age two months after going and receives 24/ per month in wages, but out of that has, of course; to pay 4/ per month in unemployment tax, which t, with hundreds of others, say is appalling. I myself know men in some of these unemployment camps who eay v they get the very best of food, even better than what they get at home when their own wives cook for them, and only 9/8 in sonie caiiips and 10/ in others is deducted from their "wages for their food account. I am a widow and have been the only wage-earner for my two children for over ten years. I can keep the one boy, who is at school, and my self for 14/ for both Of us. Then Why should they assess every young boy's board who goe,s to a farm at 15/! No wonder boys will not go to farms. Who Would work sixteen hours a day for 5/ cash per week, when they can get 10/ per week for eight hours' work a day in town, and under much more favourable conditions? If the Government assessed a boy's board at 10/ a week till he was, say, 20 years of age, you might get those 150 farmers supplied with boys. CRUSHED.