BOYS FOR FARMING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20385, 14 October 1929, Page 12

BOYS FOR FARMING.

NEW .GOVERNMENT SCHEME.

EARLY OPERATION PROMISED.

STATEMENT BY THE \ MINISTER

Determined efforts arc to be mado by the Government to find openings for New Zealand boys on the land, according to the Hon. J. G. Cobbc, Minister of Industries and Commerce, who arrived in Auckland yesterday to open the annual conference of tho New Zealand Associated Chambers of Commerce to-day. Mr. Cobbo is of opinion that there arc plenty of opportunities for boys to take up farming with excellent prospects of success.

"My department- is co-operating with tho Labour Department in tho new scheme," Mr. Cobbe said. "I hope to bo able to make a detailed announcement of our plans in the near future, and to give early effect to them. Tho Labour Department, of course, has its officers all over tho Dominion and the object is that these officers will find positions for suitable applicants.

"We shall keep a list of the boys placed in positions and shall probably havo a permanent inspector to see that they arc working under good conditions and aro doing satisfactory work. The boys will have to start at a nominal wage of about 10a a week, but there will be rapid increases, depending on ability. Ultimately something will bo done to see that the boys get land to farm for themselves. "Generally, the scheme will follow the same lines .is those adopted with the English public school boys. We have received strong representations to continue tho work with boys from England, but we think that our own boys should at least get tho same opportunities. Not all the boys leaving our secondary schools can hope to obtain good city positions, and it will be an excellent thing for the country if somo of them can be induced to go on tho land."