VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 7

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE

Air J. L. Salmond presided at the last meeting of the executive committee of the Vocational Guidance Council. The principal business was to confirm the arrangements for the work of the new officer (Mr Carly). The committee approved of Mr Carly’s proposed time table, viz., that he should be in attendance at the office on Alondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 9 in the evenings to interview parents and boys, and that he should give certain time during the day to visiting schools and employers. . Some discussion took place on the question of the committee’s farm scheme. The at present, it was stated, was that the committee some time ago formulated a scheme for the placing of boys on farms, and interviewed the Farmers’ Union Executive in order to obtain its support. It was proposed that up to 100 boys should be selected to be sent to good farms to learn farming. The Farmers’ Union was prepared to form a selection committee of experienced farmers to make the necessary arrangements, and to exercise supervision over the welfare of the boys. This meant that a list of approved farms would be prepared. These would be places where the boys would be well treated and properly trained. In these circumstances the boys would be expected to give their services free for 12 months, in return for their training. A probationary period of three months was suggested. If the boy then proved satisfactory an agreement for two or three years would be entered into. After the first year the farmer would be expected to pay the boy a wage, the amount of which would be approved by the controlling committee. The assistance of the Government had been asked, in the provision of a subsidy of 10s per week, in order to make it possible for farmers (who would not normally employ an untrained boy) to add to their responsibilities the maintenance and training of an additional employee. ,The latest news was that the matter bad now been referred to the new Unemployment Board, and the committee was now using its utmost endeavours to have the question settled in a way which would give a satisfactorj’ and permanent result.