NEW ZEALAND'S YOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21209, 15 June 1932, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND'S YOUTH.

MOST VALUABLE PRODUCT.

STRESS AND UNEMPLOYMENT. ADDRESS BY LORD BLEDISLOE. "Do not imagine that you arc not needed. In the days to come you will he the backbone of the country. We need you," said the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe. when addressing pupils of the Seddon Memorial Technical College yesterday. Trior to his address His Excellency, accompanied by the Lady Bledisloe. made a tour of inspection of the college. Their Excellencies were met by the principal. Mr. G. J. Park, the chairman, Mr. 11. S. W. King, and members of the board of managers, and heads of the departments of the college. There was a guard of honour of college cadets at the entrance. Their Excellencies were conducted through the building and shown the scholars at work, the commercial, woodworking, engineering, chemistry, dressmaking, cookery and electricity classes being visited. The pupils were then assembled in the hall, where Lord Bledisloe addressed them. Local Effort Needed. "We were delighted," said His Excellency, "to hear you sing the National Anthem, according your loyalty to the King who, as you know, is the great link of the great Empire to which we all belong." That expression was, he hoped, an expression also of their other loyalties, loyalty to the Great Master of all, loyalty to thoir school, loyalty to the high ideals taught them there, loyalty to their parents and, above all, perhaps, loyalty to themselves.

A great many public spirited men in this country of vast opportunities in the days to come had lately expressed regret that so many bovs from 15 to 20 years of age, and girls, too, were, under the present industrial conditions, unable to find employment. In days of difficulty such as these, although the Government could do a great deal, it could not do everything, and they must look to local effort and local self-sacrifice to assist. Daily Occupation Essential. It might be unfortunate for some young people, the children of poor parents, that they should be faced with the difficulty of carrying on without employment. There was, however, something more important than that, and that was that they should have some daily occupation in the use of hands and eyes and not let these faculties He idle.

His Excellency drew an analogy between human idleness and the idleness of goods that lay unwanted in a shop until they became shop-soiled. The most valuable product of the country, he said, was its voung people. . They should not le>. them become " shop-soiled." The young people themselves, after their school years, should take care that they did not become " shop-soiled." They should do credit to themselves with all that was in them.

A good education in a country such as this depended upon a knowledge of God. the development of character and a full utilisation of all their inherent and inherited capacities. What was needed to make use of these qualities was an observant eve, an inquiring mind, active limbs, of which the hand was the most important, healthy sport' and exercise and a determination in all they did to keep their goal clear before them. Joy in Work ol Their Hands.

In the old days they were afraid of leaching anything of a vocational character and went in for what had been railed mental gymnastics. Mental gymnastics were all very well, but how much more interesting it was to have before :hem a clear goal. He had put first a rapacity for observation because he did •not believe that any country had a chance of being successful if it contained people who did not use their eyes. His Excellency referred to the powers of observation of Sir Isaac Newton which had made him the great scientist he was and enjoined them all to keep their eyes open. \ capacity for observation invariably led to an inquiring mind, and they should not be afraid to ask when they did not Thev should not be afraid of using their hands, as their school was teaching them to do as well as any school in New Zealand. Every pupil should rejoice m bringing into existence something of his own. If they developed joy in the work of their own hands they were bound to be successful. They should produce somethin- No work could be really satisfactory unless it was thorough and accuthorough and accurate," said His Excellency, " and your lives will be happy and your country enriched. On behalf of Her Excellency and myself wish you all happy and successful lues and the realisation that your count!} wants you.