"STRATFORD EVENING POST” FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1928. CHILDREN LEAVING SCHOOL.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 98, 7 December 1928, Page 4

"STRATFORD EVENING POST” FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1928. CHILDREN LEAVING SCHOOL.

;LN a few days’ time, when the schools break up, thousands of the pupils will say goodbye to their scholastic days, and go into the world to take their places in the Rattle for existence. Life for them jvill then begin in earnest, for it will be the beginning for many of them of the time when they must fend for themselves and make their own way in life. The fitting of such a large number into industrial life is a problem which is no light one, and a great number of parents will find some difficulty in palcing their children in suitable occupations. Careers, upon which numbers have set their hearts, will b e found to be overcrowded, and the opportunities for success in these avenues are'not of the greatest 1 . What to do to absorb the young brains and muscles wanting work to the best advantage is a question which presents tremendous difficulties, and is one which demands exploration to the limit. Even if . children were left at school

for another year, there is no guarantee that the position would be any easier at the end of that period, and in any case a large proportion of the parents cannot afford to keep 1 their children at school for that additional time. It has been stated that there is need for alteration in tile educational system to meet the altered conditions, as employers of labour often find that they have to teach young workers even the most elementary facts regarding matters not directly concerned with specialised business or industrial training. That, however, while making it easier for employers and making young employees more efficient is not 1 the hig part of th e problem, for no matter how well trained a child leaving school may be, th e training is not of much avail if there are not' enough jobs to go around. The only solution in a country like ■ ours seems to be to direct as many as possible

into primary industries. The secondary industries cannot absorb even a fair proportion of the number offering, the professions do not now offer tiio scop e they did a few years ago, while clerical positions, excepting for th e few °f outstanding ability or those assisted by luck, are dead end occupations, more especially for men. It is necessary that facilities should be provided to enable children t'o secure th e required instruction to fit them to take up work on the land, but in addition to j

that they must have some guarantee that in alter years they will tav e the opportunity to take up farms of their own. Efficient land settlement will prove to be the solution of many of our troubles in New Zealand, and will go far in. the direction of solving this one.