IMPORTING BOYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22615, 31 December 1936, Page 11

IMPORTING BOYS

LABOUR ON THE FARMS SCHEME TO BRING OUT 1000 STATEMENT BY MR. GRIBBLE [FROM Ol'll OWN CORRESPONDENT] HAMILTON, Wednesday Referring to the farm labour problem to-day, Mr. N. G. Gribble, secretary of the Auckland Boys' Employment Committee, said that fie knew of one dairy company which was negotiating for the immigration of 1000 boys, who, on being found positions, would be assured of payment at the rate of £1 a week. Mr. Gribble said he did not approve of the proposition that boys should be imported from Great Britain until the conditions of employment were very much better than they were at present on the majority of the farms. He regarded the scheme as being definitely dangerous. If the conditions and hours of work on farms were not suitable for New Zealand boys, it would be most improper to expect English boys, with their homes 12,000 miles away, to put up with them. An important factor which the Minister of Labour should recognise, said Mr. Gribble, was that the young people of New Zealand were socially sensitive, and that they demanded more of the lighter and entertainment side of life than was at present available in most country districts. Socials, athletics, gymnasia, lectures, home crafts and other entertainment amenities were required to counteract the drawbacks attendant upon the isolation associated with work in the country. Ho considered that these amenities should be provided by a voluntary organisation of citizens and not by the Government. Mr. Gribble said he did not think the rate of wages for farm workers affected the position so much as would the fixation of the hours of work and the provision of means of suitably filling in the evenings and hours of leisure.