Royal Commission on Youth Employment and the Apprenticeship System (1937 - 1938)

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.