WORK ON FARM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22805, 12 August 1937, Page 12

WORK ON FARM

TONGAN BOiY'S VENTURE EAGER FOR OPPORTUNITY FEW CHANCES IN ISLANDS Work oil a farm near Warkworth awaits a young Tougan boy, Dick Hettig, who arrived at Auckland by tlio Matua on Tuesday night, making has first trip away from his home in the islands. The boy, who is aged 15, saw an advertisement earlier this year which announced that 70 vacancies wero available for town and country boys in the vicinity of Auckland, and ho immediately wrote an appeal to the Boys' Employment Committee, asking for an opportunity to take up farm work in New Zealund.

In his letter the boy pointed out that, although he was learning engineering, there wero few opportunities for him in the islands and ho expressed his willingness to work hard if a position could be found for him in New Zealand. Ho wondered whether there might be someone who would be prepared to pay his passage money from the islands and then deduct the amount from his wages. Tho Boys' Employment Committee was greatly impressed with the lad's application and after considerable correspondence work was found for him on a farm near Warkworth. Eesidents of Nukualofa and others subscribed sums of money, to enable him to travel from the islands. The boy is not a full-blooded' Tongan, his father having been a New . Zealander and his mother being a half-caste Tongan. Ho is looking . forward keenly to his new. life arid 'regards his venture as something in the nature of a dream come true.