BOYS OF THE WEST COAST

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1932, Page 5

BOYS OF THE WEST COAST

PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT. MINING EDUCATION ASPECT. “A special problem presented itself to the committee on the West Coast of the South Island, where the permanent contraction in the coal-mining industry has displaced a large number of youths,” state Messrs. S. G. Smith and A. E. Ansell in their report oh the problem of boy unemployment in New Zealand. The report calls attention to the large areas of pakihi, lands, and states that there are indications that the development of these may later be carried out on a profitable basis. It suggests that the experimental development work already in hand be expedited in the hope of providing, an opportunity for the extension of agricultural work in the district. There is also a good deal of land on the West Coast at present only giving poor returns, but which is capable of being converted into good dairying areas by modern methods of intensive farming. This is privately-owned but the committee suggests that some arrangement might be made for acquisition of suitable areas on terms not involving large immediate capital expenditure. “In cases where no profitable employment can be found for the boys, the local organisations dealing with the problem of unemployed boys may possibly be able to get into touch with farmers in adjacent districts in an endeavour to have them placed on farms where they will receive a training that will fit them for taking their place under, any. schemes of land settlement that may be carried out on the West Coast,” continues the, report. The committee also considers the suggestion for training youths at the School of Mines in order that they might have a more than superficial knowledge of prospecting fop gold, and the Minister of Mines has expressed his readiness to assist in that direction by providing a course of training in the Schools of Mines at Reefton, Granity or Westport.