Empire’s Seamen

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 633, 9 April 1929, Page 8

Empire’s Seamen

GOYERNOR-GENERAL’S ADDRESS

Eloquent i\ppeal to Public

IWISH I liad eloquence to appeal more to the public for this great work. At least Ido ask that Auckland consider, how little is the sum of £.230 collected last year from the 200,000 people of this city as subscriptions to the work of this mission to seamen.”

JN these sentences his Excellency Sir Charles Fergusson, speaking last evening at the annual meeting of the Flying Angel Mission to Seamen, appealed to citizens of Auckland for greater support of its activities. “We want £2,000 this year to complete the new building scheme and I suggest that Auckland might make 'rli tv: re &

this a sort of memorial for what our seamen did during the war. Anything I can do will be gladly done,” said the Governor-General. “Are we not a little apt to forget as the war fades what we owe to the merchant service as well as to the navy of Great Britain.

“The Prince of Wales has recently said: ‘Let us who are land dwellers not mince words over this thing. It is the glory of our merchant navy, and will be so acclaimed by generations to come, that they faced, without hesitation, tremendous odds, and the frequent hazard of death, undaunted in spirit to the bitter end. Let us not forget also that had it been otherwise this country of ours must have perished.” “Surely their devotion to duty should appeal to everybody,” his Excellency continued. “Should we all not try to do something to make these sailors happy and comfortable during their stay in our port.” It had been objected in some quarters, the Governor-General continued, that seamen were often the cause of maritime strife. “The men who make trouble are not worth thinking of: the great mass of our sailors are Empirebuilders in the best sense of the word, and they merit our sympathetic support.” INADEQUATE ACCOMMODATION Speaking of the Auckland mission, Sir Charles noted with pleasure the great progress recorded since his visit a year ago. He then had remarked on the inadequacy of the accommodation for a port the size of Auckland. The progress was not surprising in view' of the forceful utterances of the chaplain at the last meeting. (Laughter.) It was gratifying that negotiations were in train for removal of the mission to the waterfront. His Excellency had always thought it ridiculous that the Sailors’ Home Mission and the Flying Angel Mission had been placed so far apart. If a site were secured in close proximity to the Sailors’ Home many more seamen would surely be attracted and the influence of the work correspondingly extended. Sir Charles concluded with a further appeal to citizens of Auckland. He felt that the small public subscription did not actually reflect the affections of the city toward the merchant seamen.