UNEMPLOYED BOYS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 783, 8 June 1933, Page 4

UNEMPLOYED BOYS.

Objects of Welfare Work are Outlined. The objects which the Welfare Com- j ; mittee of the Boys’ Employment Com-1 ' mittee have in view in organising suburban committees were explained by the chairman (Mr Irving Sladen) last > | evening. Mr Sladen said that the first object was to find out where the boys who were out of employment were living, and to provide them with social and . recreational facilities so as to keep i them occupied until better times re- 1 turned. The State, up to a point, * realised its responsibility towards the | boy, and insisted on his compulsory education, but there came a time when the State ceased to take any further responsibility. Until the present depression, it was easy for a boy to secure employment on leaving school, but things were now’ different. He was frustrated at the outset. I nless he could be steered clear, he might fall a victim to groups of young people w’ho were ultra-radical in their , views, and who had distorted notions !of citizenship and loyalty. There was a grave danger that many such young men, in spite of excellent upbringing, would develop a sense of inferiority, of indifference brougl.. about through enforced idleness, and, what w’as still worse, a “ don’t give a damn for either ! God or man ” attitude. If the citizens j clid not do something to counteract this danger, a very undesirable type of citizen would be developed. \\ hat could the public do in the matter? The boy was all right. All i the preliminaries necessary to prepare j him to take his part as a workman and ! a citizen had been faithfully carried 1 out, but the conditions under which j he found himself, and which were not ! of his making, were all w'rong. It was 1 the duty of the community to take a j genuine interest in these problems, and | this was the reason why an effort was ! being made to establish welfare com- i mittees in all the suburbs of the city.