BOY SETTLERS FOR DOMINION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20353, 9 March 1928, Page 7

BOY SETTLERS FOR DOMINION

THE ROTORUA GROUP. A GOOD “KICK-OFF.” (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, January 19. This evening a pleasant little ceremony took place in the Y.M.C.A. headquarters as a send-off to 28 boys sailing by the Rotorua to-morrow for New Zealand under the Sheep Owners’ Settlement scheme. Thu Y.M.C.A. authorities have recently very generously made arrangements so that the parties of these ..boys may spend their last night in England under their roof. Tonight they will be accommodated in one of the reception rooms which has been turned into a dormitory for the occasion. Before sitting down to a farewell supper to-night with a number of their relatives and a few special guests. Sir James and Lady Parr came to bid them farewell. But'first the High Commissioner distributed the hymn and praver books which are the regular gifts of the Sheep Owners’ Committee on the eve of the boys’ departure. Sir Arthur Yapp (national secretary of the Y.M.C.A.), Dr Bernard Myers, and Rear-admiral L. R. Oliphaut (superintendent of the Royal Hospital School, Greenwich) were also present. Sir James Parr first expressed the thanks of the New Zealand Government to the Y.M.C.A., and particularly to Sir Arthur Yapp, for allowing the boys to stay at the Y.M.C.A. previous to their embarkation.’ It was a good, wholesome atmosphere for the boys to be in on tha last night in the Old Land. The High Commissioner went on to speak of the origin of the sheep owners’ scheme and the great success it had been. Having now a full knowledge of the matter, he had no hesitation in saying that no other scheme of boy migration was quite so good as this New Zealand scheme. Sir James went on to describe the life the boys 0 might expect and their prospects of making good. They would be expected to grow into good New Zealand citizens, as he had no doubt they would. But to do so they would have to take off their coats and work and go straight and square in their conduct. Sir James read a letter from a mother, who had at first opposed her son’s leaving her. She now wrote to say how well her boy was getting on and bow she now realised that she had done the best tor the boy in letting him go. The High Commissioner assured the mothers and relatives present that, although it might be hard for them to say good-bye, they were doing the verv best for their boys. A GAME OF FOOTBALL. Sir Arthur Yapp said that he hoped the boys, in starting this new life, would do so "in the spirit of sportsmen just us if thev were taking part in a game of football. They could not make good by merely watching tho other chap work. They "had to play the game with all their might. It was never going to be easy to play a winning game. He advised them never to forget the Groat Captain. In thanking Sir James Parr for coming to say farewell to the boys, he said the High Commissioner had given thorn a splendid kick-off. T , , ~ Before Sir James and Lady I arr left the hovs gave them three hearty cheers. After the supper the party went to sea a variety show at the Coliseum, where they were the guests of the New Zealand Shipping Company.