UNEMPLOYED BOYS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 63, 8 December 1931, Page 10

UNEMPLOYED BOYS

Camp at Masterton FIFTY ENROLLED Arrangements in Hand During the past week 50 boys have enrolled for the agricultural training and holiday camp to be held during January at Penrose, Masterton, under the auspices of the Wellington Y.M.-, C.A., in conjunction with the Rotary Club and the Department of Agriculture. Provision is., being made at the camp for 150 boys. It will open on December 29—the official opening ceremony taking place on January 6—and will come to an end on January 30. The majority of the boys already enrolled are of a most needy type and have been out of work for periods varying from three months to 18 months; the average is about 12 months. There has been a little misunderstanding, perhaps, about eligibility, and the Y.M.C.A. authorities advise that all applicants should, if possible, come within the following categories: Age, 14 to 18, inclusive; boys who are unemployed at present, or who are the sons of unemployed fathers, of who are attending school at present, although Intending to leave at the end of the year and to look for work; boys who give some evidence of a leaning toward country-life and farming and who desire a holiday and training experience along the lines intended; boys who are unable to pay any fees. From the applications received during the last week it can be seen that the majority bf the boys come from homes in which the father, or brothers, or-sisters, are also unemployed. All of them are willing to take a position on a farm if one can be arranged for them. Most of the homes they come from are in distress. In general the boys are of an excellent type; and as there seems to be no immediate prospect of employment for them in the city the camp may provide them with an opportunity of taking up work in the country. Mr. L. Greenberg, general secretary of the Y.M.CIA., said yesterday that a new problem had arisen as far as the working committee was concerned. in that a large number of the boys were without suitable boots and clothing for the camp. A prominent Wellington doctor, he said, had inspected the enrolments recently and had immediately undertaken to provide for five boys in the camp. He had made a'generous donation toward their keep in addition to clothing and equipment, for an additional five. “Most Practical Plan.” Mr. Greenberg visited Masterton last week and completed arrangements at that end. The farm is in operation naw and the boys will merely step in and begin their training. The Y.M.C.A. organisation is helping the scheme, and complete equipment from Featherston, which has not been used for a number of years, is being taken to the camp site. A cinematograph machine will be taken from Wellington for entertainment purposes. The Rotary Club is assisting with funds and in other ways. It Is felt that the plan is the most practical one that has yet been put forward with a view to transferring boys from the city to’ the country. The Y.M.C.A. .will do its best to place the boys in positions when the camp is ended. • , ™ .. Lectures and Visits.

The Department of Agriculture is also co-operating, and will lend the services of its instructional officers. The tentative syllabus arranged by the department provides for a programme beginning on December 30 with a lecture in the morning from 9 to 10.15 o’clock, devoted to a general outline of the history of agricultural development, the present distribution of industries, and the position of agriculture in the economic life of the Dominion. The programme will be resumed tn January 4 and conclude on January 29, with instruction on 18 of the intervening days. There will be lectures from 9 a.m. to 10.15 a.m., followed by some form of practical demonstration from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 a.m. . The lectures will deal with soil, plant life, pastures, fertilisers, fodder crops and general crop cultivation, dairying and stock management, sheep, cattle, pigs, poultry and catch crops. ; The practical work is set out .n an interesting programme and provide for visits to be paid to a dairy farm, to the Masterton stock sale, to a hill country sheep station and to freezing works. The main objective of the agricultural programme is to give the boys simple facts which will be .of service to them if they go on the land and at the same time Interest them in the farming industry as a means of livelihood. . , It' will be noticed that the agricultural course is confined to the mornings. The afternoons are left free for organised recreation and entertainment. Mr. Greenberg has been appointed camp commandant, and Mr J. Duffy, Y.M.C.A. physical director, will be in charge of recreation. Applications for enrolment can be made at the Y.M.C.A., and donations or promises of goods in kind toward the expenses and management of the camp will be welcome at the same headquarters.