PROTECTING THE SAILOR

Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1924, Page 4

PROTECTING THE SAILOR

(Bv C. Ross Jack in “Daily Mail.”) Slowly the ship moves up to her berth, the assisting tugs signalling their intentions by sharp blasts on the whistle ns they coax their charge alongside the quay. Conspicuous in the group awaiting her is a man neatly arrayed in blue uniform, with the letters “8.T.” on ill's cap. Always the first to board a new arrival, his cheery hail, “Anyone for the Board of Trade?” is sure to meet with a ready response, and two or three members of the crew gather round while he notes their names and addresses.

They are .men who desire to proceed immediately to their homes, and. ns the official leaves the ship, they turn eagerly towards the forecastle to pack their belongings.

Jn u few hours the Board of I rude officer will return, ' bringing railway tickets to the various destinations and a modest sunt ef money to meet immediate requirements; the balance will be drawn from the local shipping offices in their home ports. Though all seamen know of the system, few bother to think of its mean-

ing or origin. It is a result of the bad old days when the merchant sailor was looked upon as fair game for land-sharks of all descriptions. Taking advantage of the fact that it might be two or three days before a shin paid off, the e liarpies of both sexes made a prat-lice of meeting ships on their arrival. Well s-.inplied with liquor, they would persuade friendless seamen to m company them ashore, mid. by judicious olfer of drink, or in the extreme cases drugs, keep them in a state ol .semiintoxication until paving-oil' time arrived'

Once in their hands, lie who escaped was a luck,v man. Generally the man’s money vanished almost as soon as it was received, and, left penniless, there was no alternative for him l ut to gofrom lioarding-limt.se to hoardinghouse until he found someone willing to take hint ill until another ship could be obtained, accepting bis ad-

vance note ;is payment. Now all that has been changed, thanks to the Board of Trade. It is

mi oli'cii!--. punishable by heavy line or imprisonmenti for anyone to board a ship before their official lot- made bis round.