BOY EMPLOYMENT

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 16, 13 October 1933, Page 6

BOY EMPLOYMENT

Consideration of Problem

PROPOSALS DISCUSSED

Matters affecting the employment of boys were discussed at a meeting of representatives of commercial, labour, educational and social interests in the Y.M.C.A. last evening. Mr. A. Gibbs presided. 'Pho report of an unofficial conference, which had been held in Wei lington, was placed before last evening’s meeting. “The problem of juvenile unemployment is very complex and the remodelling of social life to meet the changed conditions of modern times cannot be accomplished quickly.” observed the report, “and the conference has come to the conclusion that it will be best, to make a beginning along three lines:—

(I) The raising of the school-leaving age to 15. (II) The adoption of the principle of half-time work and half-time school for all under 16 in those industries that are adapted to this type of organisation.

(Ill) The modification of the legislation relating to juvenile employment in those ways that will encourage employers to engage more youths. The raising of the school age had already been approved by Parliament, arid the present seemed a very appropriate moment to put it into operation, the report stated. “If the school-leaving age be raised to 15 the number .of unemployed juveniles will be reduced immediately and the list of unemployed teachers will also be shortened. The real cost to the community, therefore, will be small.” Half-time Employment. With reference to the proposal for half-time employment, the report said that the conference had been assured that any attempt to make this compulsory for all industries would be so strongly opposed that it would be impossible to carry the necessary legislation through Parliament, but there was every indication that there were industries in which the plan would be adopted and it might be expected to spread as people became more familiar with it.

Last night’s meeting approved the raising of the school age, but the motion relating to the half-time employment was defeated.

Outlining the scheme, Mr. J; H. Howell explained that the committee was not concerned with girls or with boys over 16, or with boys in rural districts, but only with boys under 16 years of age in towns where there was suitable secondary educational facilities.

Referring to the half-time employment proposal, Mr. Howell said that a similar scheme was contained in the National Recovery Act of- the United .States. “It is suggested that boys between 15 and 16 years should be employed only for half-time, and, of course, only at half pay,” continued Mr. Howell, “and that they should spend so much time—for example, 10 hours weekly—in education suitable to their present or intended calling. “It may seem, to be very difficult to work, and very inconvenient in the working,” ho said, “but more than 20 years ago the great industrial city of Munich put into force a similar system, under, which the boys had to devote from eight to 14 hours weekly to further suitable education.” If it could be introduced in such a great industrial city it would not be a very serious difficulty to arrange in New Zealand for boys between the ages of 15 and 16 years of age. Question of Cost. The total cost of the scheme would not be more than £75,000, and as the closing of the two teachers’ training colleges had saved about £BO,OOO, finance should not be an obstacle. In seconding the motion, Mr. T. W. McDonald said that as the five-year-olds had been excluded from the schools their places could be taken by the 15-year-olds, and this would get over the cost.

Mrs. E. W. Kane inquired whether the raising of the school age was not going to inflict a hardship on those who had to support the children at school between the ages of 14 and 15 years when so many men were bn relief work. Another speaker submitted that the scheme was not worth the cost involved, since it would merely stem the flow of boys looking for employment for one year.