UNEMPLOYED BOYS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20898, 4 July 1933, Page 10

UNEMPLOYED BOYS.

RALLY AT THE Y.M.C.A. ADVICE HY PROMINENT CITIZENS. •'Many of the greatest men the world has known made their start in life with absolutely no advantages," said Mr W. F. Blackwell, addressing a rally of about CO unemployed boys, organised by the welfare section of the Boys' Employment Committee, at the Christchurch Young Men's Christian Association last evening. His subject was the history of the motorcar industry, which, he said, contained the names of hundreds of rnen wnt 1 had built huge businesses and founded fortunes on the humblest beginnings. The boys followed with interest, the story of the life of Henry Ford, who, starting as the son of a farmer who could not provide his son with sumcient work to keep him on the tarm, became reputedly the richest man in the world. Mr Blackwell said that m 30 years the motor-car had become the'large;!, secondary industry in the world. This was true even of New Zealand. He invited those of nis hearers who were at all mechanicallyminded to visit his firm on an evening to be arranged by the Boys Employment Committee, where he would demonstrate the whole process of tne construction and operation of tne motor-car. In his preliminary remarks the chairman (Mr Irving Sladen) said that no boy need be discouraged because his parents were in poor circumstances. "If he has the right stuff m him and the determination to stick to his job and succeed, this countiy will see ihat he is given a chance to get to Ihe top." Mr Sladen declared. He said that the type of youth who loafed around the street, corners would neve!* do any good for himself, whether he was born in a rich house or a poor one. Those who took trie opportunities offered them to improve themselves by study would have everv chance to succeed. Mr Sladen said he considered that it. was in a boy's favour to be born of poor parents because he learned self-reliance at an early age. 'Quite a larße percentage of the worlds greatest men, inventors, thinkers, and scholars, started out with nothing but the driving force of their own brains and determination. It does not matter whether you want to be a motor mechanic or a dentist or a builder or a lawver you will have to work hard. Remember nothing worth having will come to -"on. You will have to go after it, and what a tremendous satisfaction it will be to you when you succeed, and know that you have done it oIT your own bat." Community singing was held during the evening.