BOYS ON FARMS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20635, 15 August 1941, Page 2

BOYS ON FARMS

YOUTH CENTRE SCHEME VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE The starting of young boys on farms where they served an apprenticeship of five years was touched on by Mr. G. W. C. Drake, vocational guidance officer to the Government Youth Centre, Auckland, in a public address in Gisborne last evening. Mr. Drake stated, that boys were placed on approved farms by the youth centre and the progress of the boy was watched during the five years. Each week the boy paid in at least one-fifth of his wages to the association as a compulsory saving. He was also given a subsidy on these savings by the Government and at the end of his apprenticeship usually had some hundreds of pounds saved, as well as being a qualified farmer. Mr. Drake said that at present 27 per cent of the population of New Zealand was in some sort of fanning work and the youth centre in Auckland recommended a large number of boys each year to take up this type of work. The work that the Vocational Guidance Association and the youth centre was doing in Auckland was touched on by Mr. Drake, who said that 35 per cent of the children in Auckland did not go past Std. C and that this 35 per cent was a potential problem as they were not trained for any special position. Mr. Drake said that it was very encouraging to find good schools, enthusiastic teachers, the medical section willing to co-operate, and the employment officers all willing to help the children and youths in this district. Mr. C. G. Burton, who presided at the meeting, stated that the GisborneEast Coast Vocational Guidance Association had been established recently in this district, and he hoped that all those interested in child welfare work would support it. He hoped that eventually a youth centre would be established in this district. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Drake, on the motion Of Mr. Jas. Hutton, seconded by Mr, J. Williams.