Naval Training Vessel.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4270, 7 September 1882, Page 2

Naval Training Vessel.

[By Telegbaph.]

(feom oxje own coeeespondent.) -■.:.' ,-■ Wellington, Last night.

The Naval Training Vessel Committee reports,: —Your Committee have given careful consideration to the matters submitted to them, and having examined a number, of witnesses have now to report (1.) The number of children who by reason of the nVgieet or default of their parents or of some criminal act of their own are virtually handed over to the custodyof the, State is steadily increasing with the incrjea>e of population; (2.) While some of the witnesses examined by your Committee favor the establishment of Training Schools pnjboard a vessel or vessels,' all agree that it will be necessary to have suitable small vessels for cruising about, so that the lads may be taught practical seamanship; (3 ) It appears that considerable use could be made of vessels of suitable size manned by the lads in the supplying of lighthouses surveys, transport of stores, etc,, within proper limits from the schools. p?his is specially the case in the Auckland district, where, on account of the large area of the Hauraki Gulf, it would be quite safe to entrust to the Naval Training Vessel the work of sup* plying the whole of the lighthouses in the Galf. 4. Looking at the targe and constantly-increasing tonnage owned and registered in the colony, it appears beyond question that many of the lads attending the , could^be provided floras soon as' they 'had acquired a fair practical knowledge of seamanship. ■ Many owners now- voluntarily accept lads as apprentices: on board their vessels, and the Committee can see no difficulty in -making the whole of the vessels owned or in the colony, above a certain tonnage, carry a certain number of apprentices iii proportion to that tonnage. 5. It would appear better, taking everything into consideration, to endeavor to work the cruising vessels. in ? connection • with a shore 'school; the better health ;,and greater sense of freedom which the boys would enjoy in such case will be clearly evident. 6. A great deal of valuable information as to the class and cost of the vessels fit for the purpose required will be found in the printed evidence and papers. The Committee recommend that $ (a) Naval Training Schools are essentially necessary, and should be established and maintained as now provided by law. (b) A Naval Training School should again be established at Auckland, and a suitable cruising vessel employed in connection with the Instii tution, (c) A similar Institution should be

established at Port Chalmers or Lyttelton. (d) To meet the difficulty of classification, a moored vessel oii^ht be used for the purposes of a Naval Training School; such vessel might be; stationed at Wellington ; the criminal or refractory children could be committed to such vessel, and be thus placed under strict discipline, and cut off from communication with the shore.