MISSIONS TO SEAMEN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1948, 3 January 1914, Page 10

MISSIONS TO SEAMEN.

lt - -■--- -e—l —~ Oii Friday evening the- programme for yhnstmas and Now Year cntbrtaimn/mt of seamen arranged by Mr. W. E. Corts at tho Missions, to Soa.ir.cn was brought to a close. TJio attendance of seamen lias been : racist' encouraging, having amounted to considerably over mie-thou-sand, and warm expressions of thankis and appreciation have Wn made bv t w men entertained. Tho gome; out of tho old year and coining in of "the new was celebrated in -characteristic fashion. On New Year's Eve- the largo hall ift \\ hitmoro Street was fi'llod with a merry party of seamen, who revelled in the games m-id amusements. This 'culminated in an amusing went called "A Fish Pond," in wliieli' s<nno 120 presents, comprising tho dearly -loved/ "-ditty bag" of tho sailor, pipes, handkerchiefs, tios, penknives, etc, etc., were pl-ncod in a largo canvas short. A lady worker -then handed each man n small fishing rod and lino, and lie fished in tho "pond" till lie secured a parcel, largo or small, according to'his fancy, This naturally caused a good deal of banter and fun. Supper was then served, after which th-o men settled down, to chorus singing, to..tho accompanimqiit of Jliss Hartley <in the -piano. At 11.15 the whole party adjourned to tho cliHrc-h for the watch-night service, TO-Hdnc'ted ■by t-bc Missioncr. Mrs. (Jocks presided at the and tho le&sqn .)Vi»:S road by .Mr. 0. Horsce. an apptentioe- from'the s.s. Muritai. Tho singing-tf tlio oM-tiiiie hymns by tho inch' ttsts. most impressive. /■ On New Year's Day a jiartv of seanVcii enjoyed n splendid day'at Khaiidalla.h Iwiiriithft. Mr. and Mrs. M. 0. Smith did'all in their power to assist Mrs. Cocks end tlio ladv workers in preparing the dinner and tea, which was enjoyed al fresco.. At the I»s1 iiut-o durinp; tho evening prizes won at the. sports wero distributee). While ample, provision was made -for tho seamen, in port, tho-so in the Hospital were not overlooked, and, in addition to his weekly visits, Mr. Cocks, oiibotli Christmas ami J\"«iv Year Eves, visited the J-Jospital wit-It mementoes of the season to the men laid up in that institution.

The following visitors are staying at Bolton Bay Accommodation House, Mahau, Pelorus Sound for the holidays:— Mr. and Mrs. Eliffo, Public Trust Office, Wellington; Mr. and Mrs. Tln'lip Mooro and family, of Nelson; Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Mooro and family, of Nelson;; Mr. and Mrs. Worboys. Kilbirnio School, Wellington; Miss Worboys, Miss PriceJ and Mr. J. Worboys; Miss' Lear and Miss Morgan, of the Education Department, Wellington; Mr. E. Stewart and Mr. Pythian, Wellington; Mr. and Mrs. H. M'Konzie, of Wellington; Miss Buck, of Wellington.