The Ensign FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 1914. IMMIGRATION OF YOUTHS.

Mataura Ensign, 16 January 1914, Page 4

The Ensign FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 1914. IMMIGRATION OF YOUTHS.

The Government is prepared to arrange through the Immigration Department of the High Commissioner's Office in London for the immigration to New Zealand of youths prepared to engage in farm work. These youths are collected in the rural districts of the Old Land, but there are a few lads from the towns as well selected by Mr T. E. Sedgwick and several batches of these youths will be brought to New Zealand during the next few months. : The steamer Ayrshire is texpected at i Auckland within the next few days and will be followed by the Suffolk at tht> l end of February. The conditions un- > der which these lads are engaged are '• as follows. The sum of £lO as the boy's contribution to the passage money has' to be paid to the Under-Secretary of Immigration by the farmer prepared to employ the youth on his arrival in the colony before the passage for the boy is booked by the New Zealand Government. The total net cost to the Government under its contract with the shipping companies at the" ordinary 1 rates now ruling for the passage of each immigrant is £l4 for a six-berth cabin and £l6 for a four-berth cabin in the ■ third class. A proportion of this charge wi ( ll therefore be borne by the Government. The boy has to be maintained yvith proper food, nourishment, lodging, and clothes by the farmer employing him. The wages due to the youth with the exception of a small sum for his pocket money are to be paid regularly every month into the post office savings bank. When the amount in the savings bank to the credit of the youth is £lO or over the Government is to refund to the farmer out of the youth's account the first money paid by the employer as the boy's contribution to his passage money to New Zealand. On arrival in New Zealand an agreement to give effect to the foregoing will be entered into by the youth, the farmer, and the Under-Secretary tor Immigration. This arrangement seems to be ail equitable one both from the employer's and the boy's points of view. The State has the benefit of the best young! material that can be procured to popu- j late the country districts and the farmers have at their disposal a supply of young men who can be moulded into ' the customs of the Dominion much ; easier than older imported farm labor-1 ers would be. The Government is desir- ! ous of ascertaining what number of, farm lads can find employment in New j Zealand and to endeavor on a business 1 basis to meet and satisfy the require- j mentis of the farmers. To enable this to be done those desirous of taking advantage of the project are requested to 1 state how many boys "they are prepared ' to employ. The Department will watch the treatment the boys receive, and Will , reserve the right to interfere on their behalf should be deaiaed aeceaeary. With this object the Department will insist

upon the living conditions being respectable, and that the boys are not im- ] posed' upon in any way. The lowest ( wage will be 7s 6d per week. This wage < must be increased by at least 5s each j year. The boy will be sure of three : years' employment during which he will : be taught his business. The farmer must bind himself to do this. The terms of the agreement, therefore, adequately protect all parties to it. When the lads by the Ayrshire were on the point of departure from England Hon. ' T. Mackenzie (High Commissioner) sent a farewell message to them in which he said they were pioneers in a new move- ■ ment in immigration, and it would largely depend on their efforts and behaviour in New Zealand whether or not the Government would extend its material assistance and carfeul protection to further parties of farming boys. He told them that New Zealand presented an admirable field for young men to improve and advance their condition in life. Success awaited those who were steady, industrious and thrifty, and who were not afraid to face work, with a cheerful spirit and firm resolution. The former High Commissioner, Sir W. Hall-Jones, was very eager to encourage lads from the farming districts/to try New Zealand. In his opinion fyouths who immigrated would grow up in the Dominion familiar with the conditions and were on that account more likely to make permanent and successful settlers than those who immigrated later in life. Canada for many years has been taking boys from Dr Barnardo's Homes and other places of refuge for the orphan. Fanning must remain our most important industry, and it is necessary that the Government should place its needs in the forefront 0 f any policy of immigration which it carries" into effect. The training of the agricultural laborer in Eng- • land is different to that in the Dominion. As Sir W. Hall-Jones says the lad with an elementary knowledge of British farming but trained under the colonial conditions is more likely to turn out a satisfactory farmer than the man who is trained under other conditions. We require more population in New Zealand and the system adopted by the Government is certainly a good one.