A Royal Commission on Youth Employment and the Apprenticeship System was established by the Western Australian government on 5 April 1937 and the Report was tabled on 28 February 1938. The systems of training at Fairbridge Farm School, the Unemployed Boys’ Farm at Wokalup, Werribee Farm School and Tardun Farm School were described and a general recommendation for a weekly subsidy of 10 shillings to each ‘destitute orphan boys’ at these schools was made. The subsidy was not raised.
A Royal Commission on Youth Employment and the Apprenticeship System was established by the Western Australian government on 5 April 1937 and the Report was tabled on 28 February 1938. In evidence about Farm Schools in Western Australia, the following was included in the Report:
- An overview of Tardun, Fairbridge, Wokalup and Werribee Farm Schools with a general recommendation that the Government pay a maintenance allowance of 10 shillings per week for each ‘destitute orphan boy’ provided the school undertook vocational and general education and training to the satisfaction of the Education Department (pp.lxix-lxx).
- A description of the system for training girls from 12 years of age in domestic science at Fairbridge Farm School; the existence of records to document progress; and aftercare (paragraphs 2329-2335, p.177).
- A description of the Ugly Men’s Association Unemployed Boys’ Farm at Wokalup (paragraphs 2374-2381, p.185) and the motivation for its establishment as a means of diverting youth from ‘delinquency’ by providing them with work skills and taking them ‘away from their environment’ (paragraphs -2364, p.182). Letters of appreciation and case examples of boys sent to Wokalup are included in the evidence (paragraphs 2381-2391, p.186).
By 1940, the recommended increased maintenance subsidy had not been implemented.
