ACT EXTENDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 203, 28 August 1934, Page 7

ACT EXTENDED.

STATE INSURANCE.

BRITISH MEASURE.

Care of Boys and Girls After Leaving School.

INSTRUCTIONAL COURSES,

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received 12 noon.)

RUGBY, August 27.

About 700,000 juvenile workers not now insured will, from next Monday, reap the benefits of State insurance as the result of the provision made in the Unemployment Act for the lowering of the age entry. Hitherto, although, most boys and girls leave school to obtain employment shortly after reaching 14, they have not come iiader the Unemployment Insurance Acts until the age of 16.

There has, in consequence, been a gap of two years, and this has meant that the majority of boys and girls, on passing out of the schools, have for two years also passed out of the range of supervision and guidance provided by the organisations specially set up to give them advice and assistance during the early years of their industrial life.

After September 3, practically all juveniles of 14 years and over who are working for an employer, will be insurable unless they are employed in agriculture, or domestic service in private houses, or are apprentices receiving no wages. Courses of Instruction Set Up. The Unemployment Act provides for the establishment of courses of instruction for unemployed boys and girls between school-leaving age and 18 years of age. For the first time a statutory obligation is imposud on the education authorities to provide such courses, and for the first time the Labour Minister is empowered to require the attendance at a course of instruction of any unemployed boy or girl of this age.

Attendance at a course of instruction will be enforce! in the same way as attendance at school. The object of the courses of instruction is to prevent demoralisation which so soon threatens boys and girls when they have nothing to occupy their hands or minds.