WORK FOR BOYS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20620, 9 August 1932, Page 7

WORK FOR BOYS.

OJIPAIGN -PLANNED. MEETING'''-HELD. K. iOPOSALS FOB m. jme planning the •jb during the ad with the ulti- • permanent posithe 500 as pos>d by Mr J. L. eration by the ee ©f the Cantererce, it was sub- ! representatives ristchurch held jmerce yesterday tfr.Hay, the folcarried unani- ; wholeheartedly » taken by the ■ of Commerce yment Campaign agrees to lend to the efforts e to secure the ty for one month >d being shown I S. Sheenan, A. churches' Social (hon. organiser ent Committee),

Support of Chamber of Commerce. Mr W. Bottrell, vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, took the chair to open the meeting, but as he had to leave, Mr "T. N. Gibbs took his place J later in the meeting. Mr Bottrell said i that all appreciated the -work, that had j already been done by the Boys' Em- | ployment Committee. Mr Gibbs had reported to the council of the Chamber on the work it had been doing, and there was no doubt the foundations of j work which. would benefit tlie uneni- | ployed boys of the City had been laid, j Mr Bottrell added that all could rest I assured that not only the Council, but; the whole of the Chamber of Commerce, would get behind the present movement now that the call to action was necessary. In the past interest had not been | universal because the members of the committee had been men specially en-1 dowed for work among boys, and the field was left to them. In that respect credit was due to members of teaching staffs and ministers of religion who had given time and . thought to the matter, j However, the time had arrived for all organisations and employers to stand behind some greater movement, and he said that he felt sure that when the i campaign was started in earnest there would be no lack of assistance and support. Mr Bottrell' promised any help the council of the Chamber of Commerce was able to give. He added that it was the duty of employers to get behind this movement and make the mark of 500 attainable. If something was not done for the unemployed youths the positon was serious. Their morale had to be preserved to fit them for the I part of rulers of the world's affairs. Objects of Meeting. Mr T. N. Gibbs explained the objects of the meeting. He said that the Boys' Employment Committee had been on the job for nearly a year, and had been finding its way around a difficult subject. The farm employment side of the committee's efforts had met with a measure of success and about 90 boys« had been employed on farms as the result of work organised by Mr H. P. Donald, the honorary organiser. That did not represent only appointments wider the No. 7 Scheme, but many farmers had come in and taken boys without subsidised relief pay. However, the committee had been nibbling, at the problem really, and with the consciousness that at the end of the year the present difficulties were going to be accentuated, the committee visualised a drive which would give boys a footing in industry. Mr J. L. Hay put the scheme in shape, and the present meeting had been called to hear that scheme and voice opinions of it. Tlie basic idea of the campaign, Mr Gibbs added, was to give one month's work to 500 boys, and to see, if possible, that a portion of the total secured permanent employment. Already employers had promised to take boys. Together with the employment of the boys' drive was being planned a drive for better business, and with that would be combined activities and propaganda making for a more hopeful outlook. Better Than Was Expected. "Some of us were dubious of this winter's prospects, but we have much to be thankful for that we have come through it so well, " Mr Gibbs concluded. "In September it will be spring and that should add hopefulness to the viewWe hope that those who have money by them at that time will assist us in the employment of boys. This' effort wilJ be allied to other similar efforts made in other parts of the world. In Sydney there is a 50,000 men's employment campaign in progress at the present

time. Surely in Christchurch 500 boys can be absorbed. It has been termed a bold effort, and very brave, but if we do not make an effort we will get nowhere, and what better object is there than the employment of boys?" (Applause.) Outline of Proposals. . The proposal for tho campaign next month was explained by Mr J. L. Hay. He appealed for enthusiasm for the campaign, stating that what was needed was the same patriotism and energy displayed in the recruiting days in the Great War. At the end of the year there would be another 1000 or so more youths looking for employment. It was futile for employers not to realise their duty to the boys out of work to-day. It was believed that the force of publicity was a great power, but frankly, he said, the campaign planned for September depended on whole-hearted public support. If the scheme was not successful then the alternative was to do nothing. The Community's Part. Mr Hay read an outline of the proposal for the September campaign as follows: '"The committee fully realises that in addition to the carrying out of the actual selling campaign, one of its chief tasks is to focus public attention on the facts, and secure the maximum of publicity to bring homo to the public: "(1) The magnitude and gravity of the youth unemployment question; "(2) To stress the responsibility tho community owes to its youth; particularly in the direction of finding employment ; . "(3) To urge those who are. in a position to do so to spend more freely, as only by so doing will employment be created. "The committee strongly recommends that a bold, sanely conceived selling campaign, enthusiastically supported by all the commercial and youth welfare interests in the City be held'for, say, a period of four weeks, during the month of September, commencing on Monday, September stli. ' "To attract the people to the shopping areas something of a spectacular and unusual programme of events will be necessary. What is wanted is something in the nature of a monster fair, intelligently planned, and enthusiastically carried out. ouch an effort will call for tlie co-operation ol everybody and the pooling of resources and experience. In the first instance shops will be asked to co-operate by arranging attractive displays, and possibly offering buying inducements. Tfie committee responsible lor the organising of the campaign will undertake to arrange the spectacular efforts as detailed below. In addition tlie Tramway Board will be asked to assist by granting concessions in fares for the month, likewise the Railway Department. and any other public body that mav be able to make a oontributiou, such as the Municipal Electricity Department by means of street lighting. The full'details of the campaign have not yet been worked out. _ "It is realised that it is- an ambitious programme, but the committed is unanimous that only by doing something spectacular and out of the ordinary will any substantial or permanent good be done."' Chairmen of Committees. Mr Gibbs announced that Mr MaeGibbon had consented to be chairman of the Finance Committee for the campaign and he would commence his work for the committee even before he had retired from his duties as manager of the Bank of New Zealand. (Applause.) Mr Kollo had been appointed chairman of the publicity committee; Mr Bourke, chairman of the selling interest committee; Mr West, chairman 'of ' the

schools' committee; and other committees would be set up later. Mr W. Machin had kindly offered the facilities of the broadcasting station 3ZC, and it was hoped that station 3YA would also assist in some measure. An endeavour was being made to interest the .Tramway Board and a deputation from the committee was to wait on the Board, to ask for concessions and other assistance. Mr Gibbs added that he felt sure that the employment of boys would indirectly result in more employment for men and the general stimulation of the circulation of money would be for the benefit of the whole community. Mr West reported that the primary schools would offer hearty co-operation and already a marching song had been secured. Slogans would be ujed for the campaign. Possibilities of Criticism. Mr Maxwell emphasised the point that the primary consideration of the effort should be the securing of employment for 500 boys. Mr Gibbs: We plan to have a meeting of employers vety soon and that will be followed by a personal canvass. Dr. C. E. Beeby said that he wanted at all cost to clear up any misapprehensions there might be of the scheme. The scheme might perhaps mean huii-' dreds of pounds in the month to retailers. It hacf been termed bold. He thought it was not asking enough. There were many, he thought, who considered it would do no good to get a job for boys for one month. Probably the aim should be to get 10 per ceht< of the 500 in permanent employment at least. "We are in touch with people who are organising the campaign and we know that criticism is not justified but there are others outside who do criticise. We have to forestall them," Dr. Beeby added. Mr Belton: I think that Dr. Beeby has hit the nail on the head. To take a boy may mean about £35 a year while shopping week may mean hundreds of pounds to the employers. If there is going to be temporary employment for 500 boys only then it is not worth going on*with.' It is essential that we get a guarantee that the employment will not be for one month only. The public will not then be under the misapprehension that it "has been sold a pup'' and we will not be discredited. We should aim at 12-months' employment. Mr Gibbs: One month is better than no employment' at all and it is not practical to say that we can guarantee permanent employment to 500 boys. If we give them a footing it is up to thfcrn to prove their worth. Mr Gibbs also explained that under the Apprentices Act a boy could be employed for three months without becoming an apprentice. Use would probably have to be made'of that.fact. He also said that the co-operation of trade secretaries was wanted. Mr McEldowney thought, that 50 was a total for permanent jobs which could be easily reached. During the last month more boys had been placed than for a long time. H 6 said he would like to see a challenge of 100 boys in permanent jobs as an aim. A meeting was being called of» unemployed boys' parents to explain the scheme to them so that there could be no misunderstanding of its intentions. The motion outlined above was then carried unanimously and a meeting of employers is to be called at an early date.