UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21985, 21 June 1933, Page 6

UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS

PROBLEM OF THE FUTURE GROWING UP WITHOUT A VOCATION (Pee United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 20. Addressing the Rotary Club to-day oa the problem of unemployed youths, Mr 'L. Greenberg, secretary of the Wellington Citizens’ Boy Unemployment Committee, said there were boys who, for the sake of being occupied, were serving- harassed employers for a mere pittance a week. These boys were merely filling in time and represented the unemployed youth of the future who would find themselves without a vocation. “These boys should be making headway in some, specialised vocation,” Mr Greenberg said. “We were informed a few months ago that there were 10,000 apprentices in the Dominion, and to-day the figure has been reduced to about 6000. There are lads of 17, 18, and 19 years of age who find themselves with nowhere to go and are not wanted by anyone. When the depression is over these older lads will b% superseded by younger ones and will find themselves unplaced and displaced without training, qualifications, or experience. There are hundreds of young men just_ rotting mentally in l labour camps earning leas than 10s a week towards their future responsibilities. In war-time these young men would be regarded as the cream of our population, and there would be demands on all sides for the enlistment of their services. Surely we are lacking in constructive statesmanship when little better can be provided for our younger men than apprenticeship navvying.”