USE OF LEISURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23101, 28 July 1938, Page 16

USE OF LEISURE

APPRECIATION LACKING PROFITABLE MEANS NEEDED CONCERN FOR YOUNG CITIZENS [BY TF.I.r.CJt.VPH— I'RKSS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTC'Tirum, Wednesday Tho view that "it has become necessary to have some organised effort to secure more profitable use of the leisure time of our young citizens," was expressed i" <1 motion carried unanimously at a conference called by the Cbristchurch Technical College Hoard of Governors. f l bo conference was atl< nih i by about -10 persons, representing social welfare organisations, educational institutions, local bodies, business interests and associations generally interested in providing methods of employing leisure. . . , _ The Technical College principal. Dr. 1) E Hansen, said New Zealanders had been described as intelligent people but intellectually lazy, and that seemed to him to lie a good description. If the gap between boyhood and manhood could be bridged and young people given a stimulus to carry oil their education, a good deal would be done to solve the problem under discussion. There were too many young men who did not know what to do with themselves in their spare time. Dr. H. Iv Field, professor of education at Canterbury I niversit.v College, said a survey should ho made of the existing facilities lor the constructive use of leisure. "Statistics to indicate the use ot leisure by young people were <1 noted bv Mr. N. S. Woods, of the Christehurch Youth Centre, which directs vocational guidance activities. Mr. "Woods sai< ho had obtained a typical sample b;v taking the cases of boys and -1 I girls whom he had interviewed during three months. The dear inference m many ol those cases was that there was a passive, unenterprising and iinintollootual | approach to living. A big problem, in bis opinion, was to overcome mental inertia. . ,

The conference decided to appoint a sub-committee to survey the existing facilities lor the profitable „se ol leisure and to report back on ' means of getting tidier use ot the present facilities or of providing lurtliei organisation.