The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1932. NAVAL TRAINING.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1932. NAVAL TRAINING.

I Tim failure of Great Britain to lag ■ behind other countries in certain respects in the .training of merchant service officers was voiced by a recent arrival from England, at Wellington bust week. Captain Selwyn M. Day C. 8., D.L.0., P.M.P., formerly nautical assessor to the Court of Appeal said that British officers of the mer- , cantile marine should lie specially i trained in order that the service ' should be up to date. Captain Day regards it as urgently necessary for Great Britain for her 1 continuance as a unit of the greatest empire in the world that an efficient merchant service is of more importance than to any other nation at any time in the world’s history. I consider that the executive personnel of the British merchant service is in a regrettable position, and one that is exceptional compared with that of all our competitors, some 18 other countries, I mean that wo have no system by which the embryo officer can continue his general education at sea. It means that he goes without it for the whole term of his apprenticeship, Modern day requiremnts demand above all in whatever line of life you may outer a certain degree of culture from an all round education, quite part from the particular knowledge, and acquirements needed in any given activity. All countries except Great Britain have recognised this, and have provided sea-going school ships, invariably sailing skips with small auxiliary power, carrying an (educational staff. There is not a British •ship afloat that has a schoolmaster or naval instructor—far different from the time when I went to sea and when there were running numerous sailing ships 'siich as the training ships under Lord Brassey’s scheme that carried school 'Staffs and 60 or 70 cadets. These boys not only acquired technical training under supervision, but their general education was continued. There is not a single ship in which this can he obtained in Great Britain to day. This is obviously necessary, if only for the reason that all our competitors have now embarked upon such a system, and the seaman more so than in any other vocation com' petes directly with the foreigner. IF a medical man, a lawyer, or a butcher does not treat his clients or custom' ers politely or with as much consideration as Ids contemporary on the other side of the road he will lose his clientele; but the custom and money for service rendered remains in the country. But if British ships do not give the same consideration' to passengers or to the merchants who patronise the ships in which they obtain the greatest satisfaction the custom, regardless of national flags, ns well as the money, will go to the foreigner. For this reason officers training is a matter of national importance and must be considered from this point- of view, quite apart from the fact that it is to the merchant service in the future that we must look for naval defence more than ever in the past