BRITISH GIRLS AND BOYS.

Mataura Ensign, 27 January 1911, Page 5

BRITISH GIRLS AND BOYS.

HOMES IN NEW ZEALAND. OFFER FROM LIVERPOOL. PER VXITKD I'RESS ASSOCIATION WELLINGTON, Jan. 27. On his arrival in New Zealand .\f Sedgwick (who brought out the o() hoy from Home hy the Athenie for Do minion farmers) found awaiting him ; letter from the chairman of (lie Alter care Committee of the Educ-ition Do partment of the City of Liverpool offer nig to arrange for the outfit and de spatch of 50 girls, the daughters of re spectable citizens, such as clerks and ar tisans, who would he drawn irom one <> other of the city's domestic technical schools and given practical experience I lor a tew months in private families, bc- | ing thus Loth theoretically and practically equipped at the age of ](>. If this scheme were developed any town desiring to take advantage ol the offer would he required, said Mr Sedwiek's correspondent, to give due assurance that suitable provision would he made for tile of the girls in every respect. 8 'lhis, Mr Sedgwick said, could best be done by the co-operation of the Labor Department, ladies' committees and social organisations. Mr Sedgwick explained that the idea was that girls troni one town, say Liverpool, should be sent to any locality in New Zealand. J here were objections to distributing the girls as was done with the boys, i because the former would require some responsible body to look after their welfare and their interests, and it would entail as much trouble to arrange for the supervision of one girl as of 10 or 20. If a number of ladies formed committees to undertake the responsibility and eo-operate with the j department and organisations they would assist the. movement considerably. If the initial venture proved successful he saw no difficulty in arranging for any number of girls to emigrate. The shipping companies would co-operate, and he had been assured that if JoO girls were despatched in one party a cargo steamer could be specially fitted up for their accommodation. On the subject of fares ho said that after the first shipment the fares should Ik l advanced from New Zealand, but the girls would be placed on board without expense and given an outfit by means of private subscriptions. the sedcwigk boys. WELLINGTON, Jan. 26. The 30 Sedgwick boys were nearly all sent to their destinations to-day. The southern contingent, numbering 18, left by the Mararoa to-night en route for Southbridge (2), Akaroa, Winton, Pal.nerston (2), Cromwell. Kauana, St. Andrews, Queenstown, Nightcaps, Ashley Downs, Bennetts (2), Torcross (Akaroa), Custj Woodbury. In an interview Mr Sedgwick said the boys knew the position quite well. They had been told that during the first year of their apprenticeship they might, have to he content with 5s a week, of which probably -Is would be banked on their behalf in repayment of their faics. The. Labor Department had arranged that their wages should be graduated. Tn addi-: tion, said Mr Sedgwick, the leading farmers, such as the boys had been consigned to, are always inclined to pay fair wages but in several instances had merely offered a minimum of .">s for the first year, until the qualities of the lads were ascertained. 1