TRAINING FOR SEA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 116, 2 June 1937, Page 13

TRAINING FOR SEA

■Own Correipondent.)

Lack of Opportunity in N.Z.

(By Telcsrapb—

AUCKLAND, Last Night. Stating that the Northern Steamship Company is a large employer of labour, paying out £126,393 in wages last year, Sir Ernest Davis, chairman of directors of the Northern Steamship Company, referred at the annual meeting of shareholders to constant application for employment by youths wishing to go to sea. , O It was depressing, Sir " Ernest said, that outside the narrow field offered by tho Navy, there was for our youths no form of employment which would equip them for seafaring careers. This was a deplorable lack in an island country. To a snbstantial extent the difficulty had arisen out of competitive inroads which had gradually driven the coastal vessel to the scrap heap and concnrrently removed opportunities for those of the rising generation who might be inclined to make their profession the sea, as was intuitive in the majority of British-born lads. Mute evidence of the desire of our young men to follow these natural aptitudes was seen in the number who undertake ocean journeys in small yachts. "To nie there is a wealth of pathos in this expression of a desire, the full atfcainment of which is stifled by the present-day restrictions," continued Sir Ernest. "Such is the abs.euce of opportunity l'or our youth to take to thc sea as an occupation that I am forced to the conclusion that a solution, as far as Auckland is concerned, can be foupd only ,by the provision of a suitable" training ship. This would be expensive, but in my opinion the cost would be fully justified by the results. Even if our boys have to " go foreign ' ' for employment it is still giving them tho opportunity they should have.