WORKLESS BOYS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 140, 10 December 1931, Page 17

WORKLESS BOYS

THE Y.M.&A. GAMP

LAUDABLE PROJECT

The. V.M.C.A. camp for unemployed boysja to be no holiday camp pure and simple, but is a very real attempt to arrive at a partial' solution, at any rate,, of 'the unemployed problem as it affects boys. Only about 10 per cent, of. the 500 or bo boys registered as lin-, employed, have- had work found for them: aa far as the rest are concerned; tho: outlook in January, the slackest month'; of ■ the year, is indeed black. This, however/is where :the Y.M.CAk camp scheme ;comes* in* The camp, while incidentally providing a glorious holiday in- the country for the tbwndwelling bbyV aims primarily at. giving practical instruction in farm work, and it is believed that a number of the lads; after this little bit of training, will; be able' to find jobs in the country, thus helping themselves as well a« their:tpo Soften out-of-work parents a» well.-'- .-:" :'. -' ■.-.■• '■ -'.. ■ ■■■ - '■"•■ The" camp is to be opened, at Pearose, Masterton; at the beginning of the year/the whole being organised by the Y.M;C.A. with1 the co-operation of the Kptary Club. The Public Works Department and the Defence Department are -lending their aiij-to the scheme in the way of gear and : tents snd equipment, and-lthere is available on the spot the tfnited1 Services' hut, which , used to be at Teatherston, and which has been unused, for nveyears. ■ As the perty is primarily a sheep farm; five cows have been transferred to ■it so that the boys may be' initiated into the mysteries of milking, thus materially, assisting their chances of subsequently getting a billet. Colonel Pow, of the Farmers' Union, is quite hopeful about "placing" a fair percentage of the boys after their training. The Department of Agriculture has" whole-hearted-ly entered into -the scheme, too,.:and officers, permanently related .to the camp, will lecture and demonstrate on all phases, of farm life. ■ The boys', therefore, will during: the month get1 a real insight into, and pra-tiw: knowledge of, farm work, which: should stand them in ;gopd. stead.' But the' camp will have its holiday side too. Following, the agricultural instruction in the morning, _ will be organised recreation; and visits to,places of interest in the afternoons, the evenings, being devoted to entertainments in the .way-of -popular lectures,- cinema shows,, sind concerts. The 150 or so; boys attending the camp will be lucky. But they deserve it, and only boys whose personal and medical history warrants participation in, the experiment will be selected to attend. Applications are now being received' from boys between 14 and 18 years of age, although'many on either side of those two'ages are :also very keen : to -go. Boys who are unemployed, or who are leaving school, and are willing to get farm: experience (with a holiday thrown in),;areathe ones being selected, 'preference being: given to cafes where there are other members ;of -the family unemployed.. But the camp is going to cost money, money -which participants cannot possibly afford in ; most .-.esses. Some of the boya will even have: to ,be provided; with clotSes. and- boots, before going.;: The cost, ten shillings a:~week per'boy, is based, on the expectation that certain : gopds will be- donated.' Al-ready;-the>; Government- has: promised supplies of ■ frozen- mutton, and: the-;loan of. .certain essentials in,;the way-' of eanip' gear. The public of, Wellington can surely be counted upon to see thatthV^^ESO or £300 treeded is forthcpm-; ing. An excellent "good, deed"- for Christmas time would be to " adopt' *' a' boy for a week or .a; fortnight, or eyjfsn, a month. Such an rkctipß migStVf^lt mean the making of a ; goM'citizen.- \ His Excellency the ooyernorTGe|i»eral las b_ecbme patron of-the-camp, which' is jointly organised. by^ the. ■ V.M.C.A., Eotary Club, and-;Departiiient : ol■ Airi: culture. ; Councillor. W. Applfeton,: who made tho first suggestion regarding the scheme, and who has-helped to foster it from 'its inception* has been, .appointed honorary camp- president. The camp organising committee consists of Jlr. X D. Grocott (chairman), Dr. Montgomery Spencer, Mr. L, J.* Greenberg fiecr« ■ tary), representing the V.M.C. A..;: and. Messrs. J. I. Goldsmith,. J. Cable,, and H. ;D. Taylor, representing the Botary Club. The actual leadership of ■/., the camp will be in the hands of Mr. Greenberg, who will be assisted by Mr. J. A; Duffy; The hygiene, of the.camp will be under the supervision of the Health Department. ■'.'■ - •' ...■.,.