TO TRAIN BOYS AS FARMERS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21323, 16 November 1934, Page 16

TO TRAIN BOYS AS FARMERS

AUCKLAND PROPOSAL OUTLINED PROVISION OF CAPITAL AFTER FIVE YEARS (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGIAM.) AUCKLAND, November 15. A scheme for training boys as farmers and providing them with some capital at the end of their period of training was launched today by the Auckland Boys' Employment Committee. The "Unemployment Board will co-operate in the scheme financially and otherwise. For the time being the plan will be limited to 25 boys at the suggestion of the Unemployment Board; but the committee hopes that subsequently it will be extended to a greater number of lads. The chairman (Sir Joseph Smith) reported at the meeting of the committee that he and the secretary had submitted a scheme to the Minister for Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) and to his great delight the Government had accepted the scheme in'toto. The Government's contribution, which totalled about £SOOO, was a handsome ons, which he was sure they all appreciated. The scheme should show a handsome return, both *in human and economic terms. Urclrr the scheme a small select committee of trustees would solect those unemployed boys who appeared to have an interest and capacity beyond normal, and would arrange to place them with selected farmers, who could give them a working opportunity to acquire a practical insight into farming. It was proposed that establishment funds be provided sufficient to enable a young man, after four or five years' training, to be placed either on a small holding, where he would be partly -self-supporting and partly dependent on outside work in the surrounding district, or alternatively to enable him to take part in any scheme of land settlement in operation when that time arrived. Account for Each BoyFarmers with whom boys were placed would be expected to provide suitable board and lodgings, and, say, 5s a week for the first year, the wages rising from year to year. This would be sufficient for clothes and pocket money. Trustees would be appointed for the scheme and an account opened for each boy. To this account could be paid whatever sum the Unemployment Board provided, probably a sum equal to that paid by the farmer, and pro rata contributions from private donations received by the committee. These sums would be invested and, except for withdrawals at the direction of the trustees to cover the cost of special training courses such as might be obtained at the Ruakura State Farm, would accumulate until the time a boy was judged to be fit for establishment in one way or another on the land, and then used for that purpose and no other. The boys should contribute Is out of each 5s they received, and a reasonable rate of pay from the farmer would be ss, 10s, 15s, 20s, and 25s a week in each of the five years. Accumulation of Funds The funds in respect of each boy would accumulate as under:— From From "• Year. Govt. Boy. Total. £ s. £ s. £ s. First .. 13 0 2 12 15 12 Second .. 26 0 2 12 31 4 Third .. 39 0 716 46 16 Fourth .. 52 0 10 8 62 8 Fifth .. 65 0 13 0 78 0 Total .. .. £234 0 The money is to be refunded to any boy who fails to make good