BOYS ON FARMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21289, 16 September 1932, Page 15

BOYS ON FARMS

Sir, —I do not think people realise one or two facts when they take it for granted that a boy is no good who does not wish to become a farm labourer. One is that we are not all born with the flair for farming; another, that the farmers themselves are largely to blame. I have a son who is a good worker, has had the best education we could afford for him, has tried farming for two years, never goes to the pictures and is quiet in his tastes. There has never been a farmer on either side of the family, and his whole heart and every hope is wrapped up in engineering. His former experience of farming was quite disastrous, though lie stuck to it to please us. The loneliness was terrible, the hours out of all reason, the family undesirable, the husband and wife being at daggers drawn; he was not allowed a horse or any other conveyance, and there was a covert resentment because of his education and tastes. He is an exceedingly silent, modest 'boy, and does not seem to fight his own battles sufficiently, so was never cheeky or refractory. He had one holiday, and we were so dissatisfied, with his appearance and state of mind (though he did not complain), that his father went down unexpectedly to see him at the farm. His lodging and general conditions wore so bad that he took the boy away. He went to another farm, where conditions were better, but as soon as he reached the age of 20 ho was dismissed and a younger boy taken on. He has been trying to get work ever since, sofnetimes gives his services free in the hope of getting it; but one can understand that he is hoping it will not be farming. For one thing, he would be right away, and cannot apply for anything else; for another, he is dreading the same-loneliness and misery, which is almost like a life sentence. Farming is splendid for a boy who is used to country life, or who is working on his father's farm; but until something happens to make farmers think less of screwing the maximum of work out of a boy for the minimum of pay (so that he cannot save anything), and riiore of the fact that the boy is human, has hopes and aspirations, and longs for a little fun and relaxation—so long will farming be unpopular with young people. The pioneer spirit was splendid, but did not show itself in working for strangers. ihe pioneers were making their own homes j therein lies the difference. A Sympathises.