SAILORS' HOME COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 153, 27 June 1908, Page 9

SAILORS' HOME COUNCIL.

ANNUAL MEETING. ! ANOTHER SATISFACTORY YEAR. The annual meeting of the Sailors' 'Home Council -was held last evening, the President (Mr P. J. Nerheny) being in the chair. 1 The report stated that the house account continued to be satisfactory The j Wyndham-street property had, through. ! careful nursing, been sold at a handsome profit, resulting in the Home having an investment reserve of £1500 as a new security in consequence. The amount shown in last year's balance was £182S 6/5, while the amount actually received •was £3500, showing a net surplus of £1584 3/7. A gratifying feature of the year's balance-sheet was cash at Bank of N.Z. £ 133 2/3, as against an overdraft of £190 8/6 recorded last year. The Harbour Board having been given authority by Parliament to grant the Mission Hall property to the Home rent free, the result would be a saving of £25 a year. Prior to the enlargement of the building there was provision for only 35 seamen, now there was accommodation for 55 seamen, though the re quirements were still inadequate for the number of seamen visiting the port. A number of volumes had been kindly donated towards the library, and the nucleus thus obtained would, they hoped, be rapidly increased by othr donations. Fortunately, there were no special demands made on the Home for shipwrecked seamen during the past year, eleven men having i>een received. Twenty seamen were received from the Hospital, ninteen, of them being kept till fit again for sea. The Seamen's Trust Account showed receipts £1149 2/6, payments £ 1211 10/ The Council desired to place on record their appreciation of the service rendered b}' the manager and Mrs Grant, and especially their kindness to sick and shipwrecked seamen. The St. Vincent de Paul Society reported that 78 ships had been visited during the year and religious advice and literature given the men. Concerts, which were increasing in popularity, were given by leading local talent in the Mission Hall every Wednesday evening. The secretary of the Ministers' Association reported that social and musical evenings were held every Friday, excellent programmes being furnished, to which the sailors themselves often contributed. Ships in port were regularly visited, and voluntary workers generally had been indefatiga-ble in their efforts to interest and entertain seafaring men. Frequently many of the seamen had expressed their gratitude for the pleasant and profitable evenings spent in the Mission Hall. The lady workers prepared a hundred and twenty "kitty bags" and cards, which were presented as Xmas presents to the sailors in port, who were de lighted with such a token of sympathy and interest in their welfare. As in past years, magazines and papers had been provided for the use of crews on their■outward voyage. The Sunday evening meetings had been well sustained during the year, attendances averaging about 35. The '-Church of Christ" workers reported that concerts had been given in the hall during the year, the lady workers supplying refreshment. The hall was occasionally taxed to its utmost capacity, the average being between 35 and 45.

The working account showed that total receipts, including receipts for board, £2,170 ss. 4d., and Wyndham-street rents, £133 13s. 6d., had been £2,571 3s. lid., while expenditure, inclusive of payment for provisions, etc., £1.688 17s. 5d., wages £496 os. 10d., had been £2,487 4s. 9d., leaving a credit balance on the year of £83 19s. 2d. The balance-sheet showed liabilities to include Costley Bequest, £12,150, investment reserve account £1,500, sundry creditors £152 55., balance working account £295 15s. 4d., sinking fund, 1905 extension, £111, sinking fund, mission hall, £1 IS 7s. 4d., distressed seamen's account, £7 ss. 7d., seamen's trust £269 17s. 6i., total £14,604 10s. 9d. Assets: buildings £7,635 155., investments £5,000, furniture £670 Is. 7d., debts due and paid. £43 17s. 6d., Auckland Savings Bank £244 lis. 4d., distressed seamen's fund £269 17s. 6d., cash Bank of New Zealand £133 2s. 3d., total £14,604 10s. 9d.

In moving the adoption of the report • and balance-sheet, the President coni gratulated the Council upon the pros- • perous condition of affairs. When the ! new Council assumed management, great • was the outcry about the Home beoom- , ing a dependency of the Church of England, and prognostications of disaster . were rife. But what had heen the actual result ? Increased accommodation and a vigorous policy had resulted in the present highly satisfactory position. Instead of an average number of 13 boarders, there was now an average of 45. And yet the accommodation was still short, and steps would have to be seriously considered to effect increased room. The increase in assets and revenue was highly creditable to the policy of the new board, while the increased comfort provided for seamen had been also largely responsible for the greatly increased popularity of the Home. The comforts of the Home were now second to none in the Dominion for men who went down to the sea in ships, and the Council had every reason to be proud of the highly satisfactory position attained. In seconding the adoption, Mr. Gresham drew attention to the wise handling and sale ot the Wyndham-street property, by which an unexpected asset of over £1,500 had been added to the funds, while Parliamentary provision had enabled the Harbour Board to grant them the Home site rent free, saving to the Council a

clear £25 yearly. Several members spoke in congratulatory terms of the work done by the president during his association with the Council, and of his efforts. toward the accomplishment of the present satisfactory state. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The outgoing officers and Council were re-elected.