TOWN LADS FOR NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13909, 7 December 1910, Page 7

TOWN LADS FOR NEW ZEALAND.

MR..SEDGWICK'S SCHEMA

CIGARETTE SMOKING PROHIBITED.

(FROM OUB OWN CORItESPOXDENT.)

LONDON, October 28

Mr T. E. Sedgwick, of Poplar, has made considerable headway in the course-of the last few weeks with his emigration scheme for sending speciallyselected London lads to New Zealand. The Central Unemployed Body lias adopted a more encouraging attitude, and will bear the cost of twenty-hye boys, and Mr Sedgwick is finding the money for another twenty-five. A party of fifty lads, therefore, seems assured, and arrangements are being made whereby they will leave England early in December. Mr Sedgwick is now busily employed in selecting tuiy lads for the first party. There is no lack of applicants, for tho nfirs of the coming journey to New Zealand very soon got abroad in the Poplar district, and Mr Sedgwick has been besieged by hoys who would like to try their chance in a new country. He thinks the ages of tho party wUI he from 16 to 20. The boys are strong and healthy. They can all carry a cwt. and walk twenty miles. "There will be no idle moment on board ship," said Mr Sedgwick, "so they will be up to the mark on arrival." Posts for the boys have already been obtained, and the originator of the scheme believes that if only funds permitted a- still larger number could be absorbed.

The lads forming the first party will be well adapted for farm life, and they are not being unduly encouraged to go. In order that each youth may know something of what will be expected of him, Mr Sedgwick puts the following points before him :—

"As this is an experiment, it is specially necessary that one and all of the lads should be keen and should thoroughly understand the conditions. It is hoped next year to place ten lads with the farmers living near each successful case, but every failure means that the neighbouring farmers will be disinclined to employ other boys in future. "The life will be found hard, rough, monotonous, and dull. There are no lighted streets, shops, theatres, etc., in the country districts, and the nearest neighbour is sometimes ten miles off: Work begins at 4 a.m., and much farmwork has to be done on Sundays. A day all alone on a hill-side is very different from a few hours in a workshop. There is no work in towns, and the lads will have to do the housework as well as farmwork for their employers. The length of apprenticeship, will bo fixed by the Government Labour Department, so will the wages, .which will be low to begin with, as the lads will have to be taught most of their work. "Beyond one shilling a week pocket-money they will probably earn only enough during the first year to repay tneir fares. The balance of wages (less trie fares) will be banked by the employers mid paid at the end of the apprenticeship. The food, air, and prospects arc; good, and the people are all splendid Britishers, and work and fair treatment are puaranteed.

"Those who are selected for the first party must undertake riot, .to smoke cigarettes from the date of departure, as they are greatly objected to in all the' colonies. They will have to tn"ke part m such work, and drill as can be arranged on shipboard, and generally to comply with the instructions of the superintendent of the party."