MASTER MARINERS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 July 1929, Page 3

MASTER MARINERS

FIRST ANNUAL DINNER. WELLINGTON, July 15. Distinctly nautical in ..character, .the first annual dinher of the New Zealand Company of Master Mariners was held to-night, proceedings - com*? moncing with the soundihg of eight bells and the announcement: “The room,'vwas/ : ;decorrtte.d A frith; bunting, andiat.tlie> head • table' -Were port, starboard and masthead lights. Those present included the Governor-Gen-eral, Sir Charles Fergusson, the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, the Minister of Marine, the Hon J. G. Cobbe, the president of the company (Sir Charles -. StKitham), Bishop Sprott, Captain Fraser of the Royal Navy, and a large gathering of master mariners and guests. Sir Charles s&tatham in proposing the toast of “The Patron” (the Gov-ernor-General) saii that the motto of the Company, “Deeds, not words. Fear God, honour the King,” fittingly represented its aim, which was to foster arid maintain that robust spirit of loyalty which had always been an essential trait of the British master mariner. *, : .Sir. Charles -Fergusspn ;in-proposing the ’toast of “The Merchant Navy,” said it was a little unfortunate that the first annual dinner should not been held during the tern of bis predecessor, Lord Jellicoe', who could be regarded as the most distinguished; of British sailors of;.the present day. Ho said that the motto of one of the British chambers of shipping: “The safety of the realm lies in the mastery of the sea,” aptly described the position of the British Empire. The mastery of the sea had two meanings, the ability to pursue on it one’s lawful occasions, and the knowledge and skill to cope with all the caprices of. the sea itself. In the latter sense the Merchant Marine had had the mastery of the sea for many centuries. The merchant service was the mother of the old Navy, just as today it was the sister of the new Navy,, and during the war it had showed that it still possessed the same spirit nd had characterised the Vikings and the old Elizabetliian adventurers. Sir Joseph Ward congratulated the cbmpany on the auspicious way in \yhich it had initiated its annual dinners, and both he and the Hon J. G. Cob lie. Minister of Marine., wished it success in the future. . Sir Charles Statham while replying to the toast of “The President,” and Captain John Fraser, of the Royal Navy, while replying to the toast of “The Guests,” paid tribute to the heroism of the merchant seamen in the Great War. . „;The toasts which included “The King,” “The Master of the Merchant Navy” (the Prince of Wales), and ‘‘The Prime Minister” were interspersed with nautical songs and chanties.