bo. Every Northern farmer could profitably employ a trustworthy lad about 
his place, and would be glad to get one. Boys from orphanages and similar — 
institutions were generally too young. Doubtless if they were absolutely 
certain they would be well treated here, plenty of boys would be glad to come 
to Queensland from the United Kingdom. Suitable lads could probably be got 
from Dr. Barnardo. Youthful help was always being wanted in many 
branches of farming in Queensland, and frequently the native supply of such 
help was insufficient. Coffee might be given as an example of an industry 
which especially required this kind of labour. 
Mr. Writram Deacon agreed with the last speaker and Mr. Wells with 
regard to the value of youths in many branchesof farming. Boys about fifteen — 
or sixteen years of age were always handy, particularly in dairying. He had 
always found Queensland boys well worth their wages, and considered them 
equal to any boys in any other part of the world. They were useful in any- 
thing about the farm, and not solely for work with which horses were connected. — 
Mr. T. E. Counson said he had been very pleased to hear the paper, 
especially after some of the remarks that had been made the previous night 
about the labour that was necessary for the Northern canefields. Mr. Lely 
had told them then that such work was not fit for white men, and if people 
in the United Kingdom were to see that statement it would hardly encourage ~ 
them to send their sons out to Queensland to do this kind of work. While 
on this subject, he might say that in his own district (Rosewood), the farmers 
did all their own work in connection with the cultivation of cane, and without — 
the assistance of any coloured labour. Notwithstanding this, however, they 
only got Ss. per ton for their cane, while, from what had been said the previous 
evening, it appeared that the farmers in the North got up to 14s. per ton. 
Mr. W. D. Lamp (Yangan) said he did not agree with Mr. Lely’s remarks 
that Queensland boys were only fit for riding horses. He employed about 
half-a-dozen boys himself and, although not a native, considered that Queens- 
land lads, so far as work was concerned, were equal to any in the world. 
Another gentleman endorsed the last speaker’s remarks. 
Mr. trny said he had only spoken of the Australian native as he had 
found himin the North of Queensland. There, the native-born Queenslander 
would not doagricultural work, solong as he could go away cattle-droving orsome- 
thing similar. He was glad to learn, from what had been said, that such was 
not the case in the South. With regard to the introduction of lads, he, of 
course, had not meant they should be employed, in the North, in the hard. 
field work, such as was at present done by kanakas. In the light work, and 
particularly the work requiring a certain amount of intelligence, they would be 
chiefly useful. 
Mr. Tuyyye saidif the boys that are growing up in the colony were 
handlea in the right way, there would not be much occasion for parents to 
complain of difficulties in obtaining employment for their sons. In Brisbane, 
business people were being continually harassed by parents seeking positions 
for their children. Although many still detained their sons in town in the 
hope of something turning up, still he was pleased to see there was a greater 
desire on the part of parents to send their boys to respectable country firms. 
This tendency would also probably grow and improve, but they must remember 
it would not be assisted by associating the work of the lads with that performed 
by the South Sea Islander, There was another point in Mr. Wells’ admirable 
paper upon which he might also sound a note of warning. Some years ago it 
was proposed to secure asupply of indented labour from certain European 
States, and, unfortunately, the term ‘‘cheap labour” was attached to it. This was _ 
at the time when the prohibition of coloured labour was contemplated. » When 
arepresentative of this colony went to Germany with the indented labour 
object in view, he was simply scouted out of the country. The people of 
Germany resented bitterly the proposal that any of their countrymen should’ 
be asked to go out to Queensland to take the place of an inferior race.. The 
effect of that visit to-day is, that the idea of emigration to Queensland is most 
y. 
