BARQUE AS TRAINING SHIP

Chronicle (Levin), 7 August 1946, Page 7

BARQUE AS TRAINING SHIP

EARLY DECISION LIKELY.

Now neariv a woek out oi Vancouvcr ijoumt lor Wellington, the Now Zealand iour-masted barque i'auiir is the subject of Uoveruiuent discussioxis concerning her future use. Since slic was uiri.cn over froni tlio Finnish Eriltsson ' Lino as a prize of war iu July, 11)41, ihe barque lias made a number Oi voyages nelween liie Pacilic Coast and Wellington to tlio agency of. the I'liion btoam Sliip Co., but lt is possible that within'a low months sho will saii in a deop-sea trade in a now guise, as a iraining sliip for the New Zoaland Government. A formor mastor of the Paniir, Cap tain A. 11. Chanipion, of Lyttelton, who t'Oimuantled her 011. sonie of her lirst voyages under the New Zoaland flag, suggestod last vear that the vessel shoukl become a training sliip for mereanlile inariue eadets, who would receive t'our years' training before -sitting for tlieir seeond m'ate 's cortiilcate. Althongh Ihe nierits of this sclieme are appreeiated there is novertheless one strong sehool of thought wliicli nuuntain.s that New Zealand has even a greater need of trained able seainen, and that the Paniir should provide berths for boys, who at present have only liniited opport unities of entering the sea ealliug. Selection of a Trade. Probably soute eoniproinise between the two ideals will be roaehed before anv sclieme is annouiH-ed and the next iniportant decision will be a selection of a trade. One of the largest sailing ships lel't al'ter the war, the Paniir, of iSt)i) tons gross, lias been lit'ting abont t'.rhU) tons of uhe.'it froni Canada. Her size would tliereloro make her nnsuiteii to eoastal or short sea runs, and her ea[>acity would be most eeonoinictUly used ou longer voyages. At present a Ilritisli steanier, the Hartlepool. is bound f ro in Tocopilla, Cliile, with nitrate for Auckland. The fact that tliis trade is slill in existoiice would provide one opening for the eniploynient of tlie Paniir. Tlie Paniir and the othor f'ainous sliips of the " Flying P" Line built u]i inueli of tlieir great roputution with tlieir runs with nitrate eargoes froni the W'est Coast of Houtli Atuerica, and her return to tliose ports would be in keeping with traditions of sail. Great Opportunity. i Bulk eargoes froni Canada, guanr ! froni the Seychelles and ini]ior1s for ' New Zealand froni jiorts around the world will ofTer even if Ihe Paniir is , not plaeeil in the recognised jire-war sailing trades whicli niiglit keep her ; froni her honie jiorts for very long jieriods. Tt was reeently reported that | Captain (iustav Plriksson would like to , see liis old shin rejojn his oaro famous fleet, but niosl Xew Zealand loxers of the sea would agreo that the Govern ' eient lias now the ti nest opportunity 'thc counlry has ever- known of found i'lg a iio"- generation of marchant ; o'ti.-iM-s and seainen, graduates from the I J'aimr.