Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 - 1954), Wednesday 9 May 1951, page 16


33 ENGLISH BOYS PLACED ON

TASMANIAN FARMS

^THIRTY-THREE English boys are happily working on Tasmanian farms through * the efforts of the Big Brother Movement, begun in this State two years ago.

When the movement was formed, the Tasmanian organisers had as a pattern the richly endowed and strongly established setup in New South'Wales.

All the ' work is done voluntarily, and the movement receives no Gov-ernment aid, but farmers and pas-toralists have given substantial don-

ations.

Working through an executive committee, the Big Brother Move-ment's function is to sponsor the migration to Tasmania of English lads who have expressed a desire to take up farming in this State.

Through the Department of Mig-ration, the boys are brought out under the Commonwealth migration assisted passages scheme.

Applications by farmers who re-quire junior labour are investigated by officers of the Department of Agriculture and the executive com-mittee of the movement, so that a careful selection of the employer is

made.

As the boys arrive from England they go immediately to the farm jobs

allotted to them.

. The principal feature of the scheme, however, is the appoint-ment of a Big: Brother for each

boy.

He, while having no financial res-ponsibility, keeps a watchful eye on his charge, and gives him brotherly advice, guides him through his early years in Tasmania, and sees he is not exploited or led astray by wrong

company.

Prom time to time it may be necessary to change a boy from one farm to another to ensure that he

does the work to which he is best suited, but only rarely is a boy per-mitted to go to industry. The scheme is purely a rural one.

The Little Brothers are tied until they are 21 in conformity with mig-ration laws, and before they leave London they sign undertakings to

stay on the land.

The farmer employer also must, do his part, and if it is found that

a boy's progress is being: retarded by the employer he is taken away and placed elsewhere.

Those behind the movement stress that it is not an employment agency. They take pñde in the knowledge that, through their efforts, many boys whose lives have been upset by war are finding their feet-and tak-ing their places among Tasmania's

future farmers.