Immigration encouragement - Government schemes - South Australia - Settlement of 6000 boys

This file contains correspondence between the Prime Minister’s Department, the Commonwealth Immigration Office and the Premier’s Department, South Australia, relating to the scheme to introduce 6 000 British boys for farm work, 2 000 per year for three years, commencing in 1922. Quantity: 65 pages.

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Records

Two trial batches of 50 boys were sent a month apart, then monthly quotas as arranged. Boys were to be at least fifteen years of age before acceptance. Press statements, cables and letters reveal some early friction between the Prime Minister W M Hughes and Premier Henry Barwell, in the working out of the details of the scheme. Information is provided on financial arrangements between governments, the terms of agreement, loans and wages for the boys, conditions of their apprenticeship and the monthly requisitions. Although early shipments of boys were well received, there were complaints over the selection process when some proved to be below expectations.