SECONDARY SCHOOL BOY LABOUR

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23813, 5 December 1942, Page 3

SECONDARY SCHOOL BOY LABOUR

Long-Range View

PRICES

FARMERS’ OBLIGATIONS

Possibly the best approach has not been made to the project of employing secondary school boys on farms while on vacation from their studies. The system of obtaining these boys, which was simple in the extreme last year, has been made more cumbersome by removing part of the work from the Youth Centre, which previously handled it, and on the other hand farmers and organisations have been dilatory in dealing with the offers. There is an element, no doubt, of lukewarmness amongst a number of farmers towards the employment of boy labour, created by the fear that a proportion of the lads may be prompted by a spirit of holiday adventure, and that in any case the boys would only be getting useful when they would be called back to their studies. To this it may bo replied that the calling back will not take place until the end of February, when harvest will be well advanced, and before which time the lads will have obtained a good deal of useful experience. It has to be remembered, also, that the lads are carefully selected, and are not left in ignorance of the class of work they will have to undertake. That these facts have been well observed is demonstrated by the report last season prepared on the lads’ work, based on the experience of the farmers employing them. Under the head of “conduct,” 28 per cent, were classed as excellent, 21 per cent, as very good, 42 per cent, as good, and only 9 per cent, as fair. The "usefulness” figures showed 42 per cent, very useful, 51 per cent, sufficiently useful, and 7 per cent, not sufficiently useful. The "willingness” proportions were 54 per cent, excellent. 83 per cent, good, and 18 per cent. fair. These figures in - dicate a high percentage of useful labour amongst the boys. Boys in the cities have not the same opportunities of becoming "rural conscious” as those in provincial centres, but they should be encouraged to develop this trait. An instance of this rural boy psychology is provided by a Southland secondary school, which, from a roll of 100, placed 96 boys for the holidays on farms, or relieving work of industrial or business importance. but the bulk on farms. These lads wore in keen demand.

But there is a long-range aspect that comes into the question, Many of the country’s potential farmers are quitting the land for the professions or for the better-paid industrial employment available at the present time. The only effective way of maintaining the balance between town and country is to encourage young townsmen to take their place on the land. This is retarded by the cost of finding farms for them, but much is being done in this direction by businessmen in a position to do so, arid it may be remarked here that many of these town-bred lads arc amongst the best of our farmers. In present conditions it is inevitable that a serious disequilibrium will grow up in the spheres of agriculture and secondary industries. The future of the Dominion lies in its agriculture. As some philosopher remarked, the grass will be growing in the streets if agriculture fails. This is the long range view that requires sympathetic consideration by farmers in this matter of temporarily employing boy labour. And it will be an instructive and useful experience to the boys themselves, even if their future should happen to be concerned with business or trade.

At the meeting of the district committee of the Primary Production Council this week it was decided to support wholeheartedly the project of using secondary schoolboys on farms during the summer vacation. District committees will welcome applications from farmers in their districts for boys or will give any information as to how a boy can be obtained. The scheme has proved itself a success in the last two years and it can be thoroughly recommended to farmers. The boys have handed their names to the Youth Centre—thcy have been big enough to forgo their usual holiday in order to render a service to their country in this way. If the farmers wish to meet this gesture in kind it will be necessary to apply through the local district committee of the Primary Production Council immediately, so that the boys may be allocated by the Youth Centre before schools break up on December 10 (next Thursday).

FREEZING SEASON

OPENING SCHEDULE OF

The various Canterbury freezing works open for the season s operations on Monday, and although stock is not so forward as was the case last year, good killings are expected for December. The opening prices fixed by the Minister and Meat Board and issued by the meat operators delivered to the nearest freezing works are:— LAMBS lb. d. 23/36 .. .. 8J 37/42 .. .. 8 43/50 .. ..6? 51/56 .. ..5| Seconds—--23/36 .. -.. 7J 37/42 .. .. V 43/50 .. .. 5i 51/56 .. .. 4| WETHERS Up to 48 .. ..5 49/56 .. .. 4i 57/64 ~ ..43 65/72 .. ..4 .73/80 .. .. 2i Seconds — Up to 56 .. .. 4i 57/72 .. ..3| EWES Up to 64 .. .. 28 65/72 .. .. 2i 73/80 .. -.13

These prices include the increase in slipe wool values passed on by the British Government and referred to in the Minister of Marketing's announcement of November 1, 1942. The Fat Stock Disposal Order, 1942, enacted with the purpose of saving manpower, petrol, and lyres, makes it incumbent on the producer to sell and send his stock intended for export to the same buyer and freezing works as he did during the 1941-42 slaughtering season. This order is more precise than that of 1941, in that it makes it clear that where a farm has changed hands the stock produced thereon and intended for slaughter must go to the same buyer and works where the stock from that particular farm went during the 1941-42 season, the right, however, to sell by public auction being unaffected.

The new transport restrictions are stated to be more liberal than farmers had expected. The satisfactory price levels and feed prospects for some time at any rate, indicate a good season being experienced.