BOYS’ CAMP

Wairarapa Daily Times, 16 January 1932, Page 3

BOYS’ CAMP

ADDRESS BY MU. SYKES, M.P. “Times may be bad, but you boys, in your own way, have a chance of making good and I sincerely hope that at the conclusion of the camp, as a result of competence and good record, every one of you will have the opportunity of securing a position on a farm, ’ obscr\ - ed Mr. G. E. Sykes, M.P., in the course of an address to' the boys at. the agricultural training and holiday camp at Penrose. “I trust,”’added Mr. Sykes, “that district farmers will do their utmost to provide these opportunities.”

Mr. Sykes thanked the camp staff for

their expressions of appreciation, and observed that a real sense of hospitality was characteristic of the \\ airarapa people. During the Great War, the auctioning of one Union Jack realised £23,000, while a total of £250,000 had been contributed by the people of the Wairarapa to patriotic causes. The excellent showing the boys had made so far was a matter for congratulation. Their 1 caring and behaviour when attending the churches and theatres in Mastei ton had created a most favourable impression. They were learning the rudiments of farming under expert guidance and supervision, but because they could milk a cow, steer a horse, or erect a. fence, they must not think that they know all about farming. Even alien who came from a farming stock and had been engaged in the industry all their lives, were still learning.

Farming was not to be regarded as all poetry. The boys in the camp might be apt to regard it in that light, as they were living under ideal conditions with plenty of games, food and sunshine. As a matter of fact, farming, to the Inan who wanted to make a success of it ,represented ninety-eight per cent, prose and two per cent, poetry, and some of the prose was unduly hard rough and tough, with lots of work, long hours and at times small returns. A career on a farm, however, was not without prospects and there were opportunities for even the poorest boy. After advocating certain principles

which the boys should follow, Mr Sykes appealed to every lad who intended taking up farming to show an interest in his work and a regard for his employer. He said lie was pleased to see that good order and discipline had been maintained in the camp and was delighted to know that the boys had responded to these essentials. Ordered disciplino in any group was the essential element of good citizenship, he considered. It was also pleasing to note that team work avas an established feature in camp games and in instructional work. The fact that times were

bad need not worry them unduly. They were young and each of them had in his own way an opportunity to make good. “Play the game, boys,” counselled. Mr. Sykes in concluding, “and when the Great Scorer comes to write the final score, the things that will count will not bo whether you have won or lost, but how you have played the game.” (Applause.)

Mr. Sykes inspected the various groups and the buildings and expressed complete satisfaction with the entire outfit. He was particularly impressed with the boys’ ready response to discipline. Tn answer to a question, lie was told that all but four of the 90 hoys in the camp seriously intended to take up farming pursuits.