The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1913.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3780, 15 March 1913, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1913.

It will have been noticed that quite a number of the witnesses who appeared J before the Empire Trade Commission strongly urged the necessity of bringing out to New Zealand further batches of Home lads for farm work under conditions similar to those which obtained in connection with the “Sedgwick” scheme. ''As it is now just over two years ago since Mr Sedgwick inaugurated his scheme it is interesting to glanco at tho results of the experiment, for experiment it must be considered, seeing that the boys who were brought out were town lads who had ..i-g-iL_i : i ~~i -

An Interesting Anniversary.

otated that town lads were unsuited and unfitted for farm work.” The real position, however, is, ho claims, that' the town lads have done bettor than might have been expected of country lads from Hon\e. As against the country lads he insists that the town lads are far quicker in noticing things and picking up the work, and what is more, that they have not so much to learn when they go overseas. It is even his view that the Home town lads are better than the Colonial boys, but if this be the case the Colonial boys, we should say, only have themselves to blame in this matter. Under the circumstances it would, of course, have been somewhat extraordinary had no trouble at all been experienced with some of the lads. The chief complaint, it seems, is that a few have absconded and in this regard Mr Sedgwick holds that people who seek to entice a bov away from his employment or knowingly engage or continue to employ an absconding apprentice should be liable to punishment by fine or imprisonment. Apprentices, too, should, he thinks, be heavily punished for the offence of “bolting” and in their case they could not avoid paying as they* wages are banked. That a number of the boys are settling down properly is shown by the fact that out of their wages they are taking steps to bring out some of their relatives to this country. If the Labor Department is prepared to bear out this very glowing account of the merits of the “Sedgwick” boys wo should say that it is high time the Government endeavored to have other batches of suitable lads brought out. It may, of course, be true that the demand for domestics should first of all be met; but that need not prevent steps being inaugurated at the same time to assist the settlers by securing for them muchneeded help on their farms. In this connection Mr Sedgwick intimates that he is willing to do all in his power to make further “shipments” of lads a great success. The Ontario Government, he mentions, have offered to see after five hundred boys this year, and probably one thousand next year after ascertaining the general merits of a trial lot of fifty. As regards the need for domestics in the Colonies Mr Sedgwick declares that the Home system of domestic service

is a very unsuitable training for the Dominions, but lie is in communication with several of the State Governments with a view to trying experi merits with various types of girls and women who have, not been in domestic service at Home, bub wish to go into service ir. the Colonies. How the

experiments in this matter will work out will no doubt be the subject of much, inquiry. So far as the boys are concerned the position is, then, that the Government should now make up its mind as to whether the “Sedgwick'’ boys who have already been brought out have been a success; and if so, there should be no delay in making arrangements for other batches to follow. To-day Mr Sedgwick has about SQO boys on a “waiting list” and he knows, he says, where to go for another five thousand!