THE TRAINING SHIP AND SCHOOL AT KOHIMARAMA.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1911, 5 December 1874, Page 3

THE TRAINING SHIP AND SCHOOL AT KOHIMARAMA.

We liave repeatedly referred to the training ship and school at Kohimarama, which commenced operations od Tuesday. Six boys were this morning drafted to the truining ship from the Industrial School by Mr Stiekley The removal of the boys was voluntury on their part and in accordance with their expressed desire. Some additional facts concernit/g the new institu ! ion are published in the Church Gazette which we reprint" The first JNaval Training t-ohool in New Zealand, at Kohimarama, will have the good wishes of all who feel an interest in the ' Neglected and Destitute Children,' for whom it is specially intended. Since the visit of the Honourable the Commissioner and the Secretary of Customs to Auckland the buildings at the old Mission Station at Kohimarama have been thoroughly repaired aud fitted up for the purposes of the School; accomodation has been pvovided for sixty (60) boys, but it is intended to begin with about twenty (20) from Auckland; the first batch being from the Howe-street Industrial School, of such boys as wish to be trained for the soa. - The full number will be gradually made up from the different provinces of the Colony as the institution gets into working order. 'J his it is to bo hoped will soon be, for apparently much interest is shown, and many enquiries have been mude about it. One part of it will be found to differ somewhat from the received idea of a Naval Training School, in that it provides lor the acquiring of buildings and grounds as well as vessota Training ships aro from their large size stationary, and, to bo complete, require wall tenders in. which. {o give, tlw Iw^.

actual sea training, In most cases this is not practicable, and boys are hired or sent out for short cruises in fishing vessels, &c. Such an institution as that at Kohimarama will combine the advantages of a well-conducted school, good play grounds, land for agricultural purposes, and sea frontage and ; beach, for learning to swim and boating, with the tender close at hand for the practical part of soanunship, should go far to make the place very popular, as tending to remove the feeling of restraint and confinement, necessarily felt by young boys always cooped up in a ship. The tender —the old 'Southern Cross'—will be rigged as a brig, and will have a sd endid summer cruising ground within the Barrier Islands, or for still shorter cruising, between Auckland and the Sandspit. As otlier schools are established in the Southern ports, she will also be available to visit them, and take boys to the different schools that may require them. For the present the staff consists of a ■ manager, schoolmaster, cook, aud shipkeeper. A boatswain or ; instructor is on board, and others will be added as wanted. The main object of the institution is to rescue some of tho neglected and destitute children from the life that would otherwise be before them, and to endeavour to turn them into what is so much wauted in a maritime country like this—good seamen and respectable members of society. The boys are specially intended for this; but for any who may not be fit for the,sea or may: dislike it,provision will do doubt be m'ade' for teaching other trades, aud (as stated in the Act) for apprenticing them to such. This will be, at Auckland, turning to a worthy account the buildings and the vessel so long used by the late Bishop Patteson for missionary work of a different character."—Star,