FARM AND DOMESTIC

Northern Advocate, 27 June 1935, Page 8

FARM AND DOMESTIC

FAIRBRIDGE TRAINING SCHOOL

N.Z. MAY FOLLOW SUIT [Special to "Northern Advocate."'! WELLINGTON, This Day. Great interest in the Fairbridge Farm School, at Pinjarra, West Australia, was taken by the retired worldY.M.C.A, leader;: Mr. J. J. Virgo, who described the scheme in an interview with “The Dominion” on his arrival in Wellington from Australia by the Monowai. The school represents perhaps the most interesting present-day system of emigration from Britain. It is conducted principally from England byihe Child Emigration Society, which uses the farm as a means of training and settling British slum boys and girls in Australia. “I prevailed upon a friend of mine to give £6OOO for a church on the farm, and I had the thrill of speaking in it a few weeks ago,” Mr. Virgo said. “I have -been greatly interested in the scheme since the beginning in 1912. Of course, the war ihterfered with its growth, but at the present time it is showing extraordinary progress. The Y.M.C.A. has no connection with it — nowadays our migration activities are practically stopped—but ' recently I spoke in favour of it in the Grocers’ Hall, London, when, after addresses by the Prince of Wales and Mr. Stanley Baldwin, I appealed for the raising of £IOO,OOO to carry on the scheme.

“There is a movement afoot to start similar schemes in Canada, Queensland, and New Zealand. New Zealand’s part in that, of course, will depend on the interest taken in the idea here.” The reason for suggestions being made to start the school in other parts, he said, was the unequalled success of the Fairbridge School venture.

Mr. Yirgo explained that the boys and girls are trained at the school for five years in farm work and domestic service. More than 1800 children had benefited by it so far. The high opinion gained of the children after they had gone through the school was shown in the fact that in one year applications had been made by employers for just under 2000 of the children. Recently there had been 16 boys ready to leave the school to go info employment, and applications had been, received for them from 250 employers.

, The farm consists o| 3200 acres, Mr. Virgo continued. Every 12 children are supplied with a small house to live in under the care of a “mother.” Most of the food necessary is provided by the farm. Conditions for the children are so pleasant that it is quite the usual thing for those who have been put into employment to go back and spend their holidays there. Until they reach the age of 21 half of their earnings are kept in the school’s savings bank. “After-care work is also an interesting feature,” he said. “All the children are visited twice a year in their jobs to see that they are being properly treated and that they are working satisfactorily. And not one-half per cent, have been found to be failures.” The expenses for the school, Mr. Virgo added, are met by public subscription, and it is backed also by the Federal and the State Government.