WORK FOR BOYS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20623, 12 August 1932, Page 16

WORK FOR BOYS.

SURVEY OF POSITION. MEETING OF PARENTS AND BOYS The meeting of unemployed boys and their parents, held in the Concert Hall of the Y.M.C.A. last night, partook of a stock-taking of the position. The tone of the speakers was. hopeful, and the details they gave of what was being done and what was in contemplation, showed that every effort possible was being made to find openings for boys looking for work. The hall was erowded, the majority of those present being lads of good type. Mr A. J. McEldowney presided.

The chairman said that he did not know whether ho should say that he was very glad to see such a large meeting, because it was an indication of the great amount of unemployment amongst boys, but the large attendance showed that they were interested. The meeting was one of a series held by the T.M.C.A. during the past few years to discuss the unemployed boy question, and they had been interested, not because it, was an urgent case or a hard ease, but because of their interest in the individual boy, as Tom, Harry, and Jack. They wanted to know their circumstances and to take a personal interest in tnc-Ei. They wanted the parents to feel that they were co-operating with them in getting work for their sons.

Some Comparisons. The previous meeting was held about March. The situation had changed a great deal in the meantime. Ho believed that there was some sign, or hope, of recovery. In March all they could say was that they hoped to be able to do something for the boys; now they could say that the position was a little easier, that certainly some more jobs were coming along. In March the public was largely apathetic towards the question of the unemployed boy; now considerable interest was being shown in it. The Canterbury Chamber of Commerce was just beginning to find its feet; now it had a splendid committee functioning. If they could only realise it, that committee represented almost every interest in the City concerned. If they attended a meeting of it they would find that its members were deadly in earnest about finding positions and about creating the right public opinion as far as the boys were concerned. They were fortunate in having present Mr T. N. Gibbs, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Committee—on* might call him its founder, because in the early days of the committee he had a great deal to do in keeping it going. Mr S. R. Evison, of the Education Board and Technical College Board, would speak regarding the steps being taken in connexion with continuation elasses, and Mr G. M. Keys would give some advice out of his wide experience. He urged those boys present who had not enrolled at the Y.M.C.A. to do so forthwith.

A Hopeful Note. Speaking to the boys, Mr McEldowney said that many boys had been calling day after day and week after week, and were attending vocational classes most faithfully, and yet had obtained no position. He wanted them to feel that there was some-hope for them, and that during the next few weeks they hoped to give some of them—all if possible—some employment. Above all, they did not want the boys to loso their selfrespect. The fact that they were unemployed at present was no stigma on them. Business Men's Responsibility. Mr T. N. Gibbs said that he was sorry for the necessity for turning out to discuss the problem that was worrying them all. The large attendance probably was due to the expectation that there would be something for them in the next few weeks. The Chamber of Commerce Committee had been at work for close on a year; the Y.M.C.A. had had Mr Keys concentrating on the question very assiduously for some years. He (the speaker) had impressed on the Chamber that' business men had some responsibility in the matter, and that though the conditions prevailing prevented them from employing boys, they should take care of them and generally look after their interests by creating jobs of some kind or other. They had had some measure of success in placing t.oys on farms, the Unemployment Board allowing 5s a week for each boy. About 90 had been placed, but not more than 40 had taken advantage of the Board's scheme; in the remaining cases the farmers were paying the boys. They would like to see more boys go on farms, and he pointed out some of the advantages of a eountry life.

Tha Coming Campaign. They had come to the time, Mr Gibbs said, when, they must make a big move, something spectacular, and they ■were asking each employer to give every boy a job for a month, bo that he -would know what business was like, and bring him in contact with an employer, so that he would have a month's Wages of his own and would be encouraged to think of himself as a unit able to earn money for himself. They hoped to get at least 500 boys employment for one month. He asked the boys who were not able to get a job to keep their hearts up and stick to the classes provided at the Technical College and at the Y.M.C.A. Continuation Classes. Mr S. B. Evison said that the part of the problem he was to speak upon was the provision of continuation classes. The matter had not developed very far yet, and the chief necessity was to ascertain what was wanted. Without some definite object & .person deteriorated mentally and physically, and in the case of boys who were unemployed, unless they kept fit they lost much of the qualifications for employment they acquired at school.

He was convinced that continuation classes -were necessary, and vrould do what he could to make them available. The Technical College already mado provision for classes in engineering, woodwork, agrculture, and wool-classing, as well as in shorthand and typewriting; the Y.M.C.A. was doing very valuable work in providing vocational and recre ational classes. The Canterbury Education Board was considering the reorganisation of manual training classes to enable boys to keep themselves fit. To do so they wanted information regarding the ages of the boys, and of their experience; groups of at least SO boys were required for each class. A few days ago he ascertained that the boys attending the classes at the Technical College he had mentioned was 25 It was considered that boys attending classes of a vocational character should attend for at least a minimum of eight hours a week. &

The Outlook Hopeful. Mr G. 11. Keys said that the problem had caused him a great deal of personal worry, because he felt almost personalty, responsible for the boys on his books' He would only feel happy when the present position disappeared. He was feeling very hopeful about the outlook, more so than he had been for a long tme past. He had worked at the problem when times were more or less normal; and when, perhaps, jobß wero

easier to obtain, and also at a time when ho could not see daylight at all. Now there were definite bright signs in the sky. As far as getting jobs was concerned the position to-day undoubtedly was better than it was this time last year. Just recently the way things were opening up was definitely more encouraging. He referred to the very interestng scheme for which Messrs J. L. Hay and H. P. Donald were responsible, and said that he really felt that a great many boys would be employed not only in temporary work but eventually in permanent jobs.

Removal of Restriction. There had been some local circumstances that had accentuated the problem. In the case of those who did not need to economise money seemed to become frozen. The Public Service was not taking the number of boys that were taken in past years. There were restrictions under awards which certainly had their functions, but were not quite as-applicable to present conditions as to normal conditions. He was not trying to place blame, but was indicating that restrictions existed. He was one of a deputation to the Minister for Labour which had brought up this matter, and the Minister had assured them that he intended to do his best to do away with these restrictions, and to make it possible at times like these to get some boys into work. Jobs in Country and Towns. In urging boys to take up jobs on farms, Mr Keys said that those who went on the land and got good training were going to find considerably better prospects in the future than those who stayed in the City. Some boys who had gone on farms had had unfortunate experiences; some farmers did not give a boy a good deal. When they sent a boy to a farm they endeavoured to find out the class of home he was going to and the class of training he would receive. In cases ..where they had received reports, there were exceptionally few Unsatisfactory reports, either as regards the boys, or the farmers. The increasing public support of New Zealand industries had resulted in increased activities in the factories. One factory in the past few months hadtaken on twelve boys. The campaign in favour of New Zealand-made goods was going to react in favour of boys looking for jobs. Mr Keys concluded by giving the boys some advice in respect of getting jobs and keeping them when they got them. Mr A. A. Bruce spoke briefly regarding the work done in the classes at the Y.M.C.A.

Campaign Supported. Mr J. S. Fawcett said he wished to voice what he believed was the opinion of parents present—gratitude to the various organisations that were doing so much for the boys of the City. He moved: "That this meeting of unemployed boys and their -parents welcome the plan for the youth employment campaign, and are keenly desirous of taking advantage of the one month's work, as suggested."

The motion was agreed to unanimously. A vote of thanks was accorded the speakers.

After the meeting a large number of the boys stayed behind and enrolled in the different Y.M.C.A. classes.

REPORT TO CHURCHES AND LABOUR CONFERENCE.

The conference of representatives oi the Churches and of Labour, set up to discuss the problem of unemployment, is to reassemble at 7.30 p.m. on Monday, August 15th, when reports on various aspects of the matter will be discussed.

The l?ev. T. W. Armours report on unemployment amongst boys refers to the work being done by the Christchurch Y.M.C.A., tho committee of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, and by the Unemployment Board. He states that to date between 70 and 80 boys have been placed on the land, and that thero are 100 willing to go on the land if nothing more suitable offers. Mr Armour further states: "The fact that so many boys are perforce with their time on their hands and growing up in a community that Seems to have no place for them presents a serious moral and social problem. To meet it committees are being set up in various districts whose business will be to make a house to house visitation to find what unemployed youths there are in tlie various districts, and to provide for them educational and recreational facilities. In this way it is hoped to arrest the deteriorating effects of unemployment. . . . The unemployment of so many youths presents a very serious moral and social problem, and it will be accentuated at the end of the year when another 600 will leave school." .