FOE WORKLESS BOYS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 124, 21 November 1931, Page 12

FOE WORKLESS BOYS

Cl-LRISTMAS FARM CAMP

HEALTH AND TRAINING

For months past the V.M.C.A., the Rotary Club, and other organisations have been endeavouring to help boys who are out of work. A special effort is to be made at. Christmas, when as many as possible will be given a month in a farm training camp.

There are hundreds of boys in Wellington who, having left school, have had little if any work to do during the past year. This prolonged idleness must have a deleterious eft'ect on the character of these- boys, and may ultimately react to Hie detriment of the community. The ranks of the unemployed boys will be reinforced shortly by the largo number leaving school, many of whom have remained at school for an extra year. Among the •150 unemployed boys who have reported to the Wellington V.M.C.A. many come from homes where there are other j members of the family unemployed, and others have suffered the loss of parents or are away from home. Although there may be the prospect of an improvement in the general conditions in the community it is hardly likely that these boys will be quickly absorbeel in industry and in the business' of tlie community. The Government, naturally, lias been pre-occupied with the major problem of adult unemployment, hence little has been done to ameliorate the condition of these workless boys. There is however, :\ move to convene a conference at an early date with a view to making some approach to definite j action.

A MONTH IN THE COUNTKY.

The Wellington V.M.C.A., in conjunction with representatives of the Rotary Club, has in hand a scheme for improving the lot of these boys during tho forthcoming holidays, and at the same time relating their interests to something that may be of practicable value in t-he solution of their unemployment in the immediate future. It is intendod, if sufficient funds are available, to transfer 100 to 150 of these boys to the country during tho month of January, and with the co-operation of the Department of Agriculture give them what may prove to be their first introduction to country life and to farming. The project has met with the approval of tho Minister of Unemployment, and various Government Departments arc co-operating with the view to making it a success. The boys to bo taken into camp will be restricted to those between tho ages of 13 and 17 who have been unemployed for at least three months, or who, having left school, are the sons of unemplpyod fathers and unable to contribute anything towards their camping experience. Distressed and semi-privation homes would thus bu relieved of these boys during the slack month of January, and in addition the boys would be given a general "setting-up" holiday under discipline, which should materially contribute to their morale and fit them for the difficulties of another year.

AGRICULTURAL TRAINING.

The camp, however, is not merely a holiday, for it will be given a distinctly agricultural training bias. The officers of the Agriculture Department have prepared an appropriate curriculum of farm education, including practical demonstrations of farm work. It is intended, also, that every effort should bo made to relate to pormanent farm work those boys who, during the camp, show some disposition towards farming, or express their willingness to engage in that occupation.

Tho site chosen for the camp is adjacent to Mr. W. Perry's "Penrose" property, eight miles from Masterton. There is an almost complete farm equipment, ideally situated, and providing excellent housing accommodation for the boys, with facilities for cooking, messing, recreation, sanitation, etc. Tenting accommodation will be added. The trustees of the property have consented to make this property and equipment available for the purpose of tho camp. It is intended that the general secretary of tho V.M.C.A. (My. Leu J. Grccnbe'rg) should bo personally in charge of the camp, with Mr. J. A. Duffy (physical director) as his assistant. Special attention is to be given also to the medical and hygienic aspects. The V.M.C.A. is placing the best of its experience and resource into the experiment, but it has no funds available to cover tho actual running expenses of the camp. It is estimated that the cost of keeping .in unemployed boy in camp will be at the rate of 10s per week, or £2 for the full period, and an appeal is made to individual citizens of Wellington to contribute financial assistance by way of subsidising the keep of on'i "cr more boys at the camp.

GIVING HOPE TO YOUTH.

The project is deemed to be at least oho step in the direction of solving the boy problem, and there are reasonable prospects that the experiment may lead to some permanent scheme of farm pursuits for boys. In appealing for support for their efforts the M.C.A.Eotary Conpnittee would emphasise the dire- need and hopeless outlook of! many of these boys who are unemployed and are not provided for under the existing Government scheme. Where these youths arc living in homes where there is reasonable comfort and tho amenities of life, it is bearable; but, for the hundreds of lads who arc in homes where there is privation or actual poverty through unemployment, their daily and future outlook is really hopeless and desperate beyond expression. To face life day after day for months and months in such homes, with nothing to look forward to but just roam the streets in an endeavour to "kill time," must have a most demoralising effect upon the character of even the bestintentioned youth, and then to return to a home where the family ' living on a bread-line, through unemployment, requires little imagination to see the urgent need for some immediate move on the part of the citizens in an endeavour to ameliorate the lot \pf these lads.

Contributions may be sent to the "Evening Post" or to the General Secretary V.M.C.A., Willis street, and marked "Unemployed Boys' Agricul-tural-training and Holiday Cump." Parents or guardians of boys wishing to join tho camp ar requested to make their inquiries immediately aU the V.M.C.A. An early announcement will be made concerning the actual date for enrolments.

FARMER-MORTGAGORS

Owing to tho heavy decline in the produce price level the number of applications by farmers for relief from their obligations to the Rural Intermediate Credit Board has been unusually large, and in the majority of cases the board has been able to make certain coneessons after thorough investigation of the circumstances. The Commissioner of Rural Intermediate Credits, reporting to the New Zealand Fanners' Union, says applications for concessions contiuue to be received, but he anticipates that the tanners will now base their budgets on the present prices ri;!ing, and the position should become more stable. As the production season has now commenced the position should gradually improve.