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FOR SEAMEN ASHORE.

LYTTELTON SAILORS' HOME. RE-OPENED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. The Lyttelton Sailors' Home, owned and controlled by the Lyttelton Harbour Board, was ro-opened yesterday afternoon by the chairman of the Sailors' Home Committee (Mr M. J. Miller). Amongst those " present were Messrs R. Moore (chairman of the Board), M. J. Miller, J. 11. Webb (Mayor of Lyttelton), i\ Horreli, J. J. Dougall, T. D. Boag, C. Allison, and J. Little (members of tho Lvttelton Harbour Board), Mr Cyrus J. R. Williams (engineer and secretary), Captain A. M. Thorpe (harbourmaster), Captain J. A. H. Marciel (superintendent of Mercantile Marine at Lyttelton and chairman of the local branch of tho British and Foreign Sailors' Society), Captain S. M.Dongall (marine superintendent of the ->haw. Savili and Albion Company), and Messrs J. G. Goodfellow, C. H. Clibborn and Arlow members of tho Harbour Board's staffs). After an inspection of the building, which has been vastly improved, and which is now a very comfortable Home, those present were entertained at afternoon tea in the dining-room by Mr A. Patterson (superintending* steward) and Mrs Patterson. In declaring the Home re-opened, Mr Miller said the Board had carried out certain alterations and improvements which included the conversion of the lato Seamen's Rest into a dining-room; the late dining-room has been transformed into a line kitchen, and the old kitchen on the ground floor had been converted into a laundry, making the general working of the Home much more economical and convenient. The whole building and furniture nad been thoroughly renovated, under, the general direction of the secretary and engineer (Mr Cyrus Williams), and the immediate supervision of Mr J. G. Goodfellow, assistant engineer. Mr Miller continued that all recognised that the lot of seamen to-day was vastly different from that of seamen of a few years ago. but the seamen still perferred a. sailors' home to.live in when on shore, and tho Harbour Board desired to assist the shipping interests and the men by having a depot where seamen could he found. The Harbo_f Board felt that the excellent work which was being done by the Seamen's Institute could l>e assisted by a continuance of the Sailors' Home at the port. It was hoped that the two places ''-would, as far as possible, work together in that direction. Mr Miller said that the Home was built on a site vested in the Harbour Board by the Government. Tho building and furnishing cost £38.55 12s, of wh:ch £1427 lGs was provided by private contribution, and £500 by the Government, while the Harbour Board gave £1927 lGs. or equal to £ for £ on tho total cost. The expenditure in maintaining the Home was specially authorised under the Lyttelton Harbour Board Act, 18S2. anil_ during- ihe past twenty-nine years, this e_-r-ondituve I'nd nvor-fecl about £.03 por annum. This included the maintenance of tho Rest, which has Been superseded by the new Institute. The Home had formerly accommodated eighteen men, but suice it had been reorganised' twenty-eight men could be lodged and boarded in comfort, and at a very moderate charge. Captain Marciel said. that, no one who realised what seamen meant to the British nation could help' l feeling that anything for. tho welfare, of seamen must appeal to all. There was no public body in New Zealand which' had so fully recognised what was due to seamen* than the Lyttelton Harbour Board. He had always felt that there should bo a good Sailors' Home in Lyttelton to supplement tho work of the British 'and Foreign Sailors' Society's Institute, and he was very gratified that the Harbour Board had provided such a palatial Home; He believed that what was done for the welfare of seamen must react on the welfare of the province, and would more than repay its upkeep. He wished to congratulate the Harbour Board on the verj fine building which they ]_ad placed at the disposal of the seamen. Captain McDougall said he was veiy pleased to know that seamen who in past years had not always been well treated, ware being looked after and well provided for in Lyttelton. Their life was a. rough one, and thero was really not very much encouragement for them at sea to lead a better life, so that it was good to know that they were to be well provided for on shore. Mr S. Booth, superintendent of the Seamen's Institute, after referring to the fast that 2000 seamen had visited that place during the last quarter, said that the Home and the Institute would have to work together for the comfort and well-being of seamen on shore at Lyttelton. Mr Moore said that this was his first visit to the Home, and he was very pleased to find such good and up-to-date accommodation. The Harbour Board had always done a little in the direction of making the life of the sailor ashore happy and comfortable, and while it would expect every reasonable economy in tho administration of tho Home, it would give every encouragement to the management, and hoped that the place would become self-supporting. It was very gratifying te see the excellent accommodation in tho port both for ships and those who manned them, and it was the duty of the Board to make every provision for the increasingly large ships trading to tho Dominion. The members of the .Board were progressive, and the work of tho port was safe in their hands. The gathering concluded with votes of thanks to the chairman of the Sailors' Home Committee, the secretary and engineer of tho Board, and the superintendent of the Home.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19140129.2.4

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Press, Volume L, Issue 14887, 29 January 1914, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
932

FOR SEAMEN ASHORE. Press, Volume L, Issue 14887, 29 January 1914, Page 2

FOR SEAMEN ASHORE. Press, Volume L, Issue 14887, 29 January 1914, Page 2

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