SAILORS' SOCIETY.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17740, 17 April 1923, Page 13

SAILORS' SOCIETY.

" - ANNUAL MEETING, v' The eleventh annual meeting of .the British and- Foreign Sailors' Society (Lyttelton branch) was held in .the, Masonic Hall, Christchureh, last nighi, Mr Wr Machin presiding over a fair attendance. The annual report of the . directors • (which has already appeared in "The Press") was adopted. The Kev. E. Stewart, in his repoTt, described the activities of the seaman's missionary, and said that the Seaman's Institute was a land lighthouse which protected the seamen from the dangers of the seaport. No fewer than 14,212 men had visited the Institute during tlio_ year, and ' 917 . ships had been • visited. Two hundred and sifcty-three free beds and 533 free meals had been provided. At religious services, ■of which 106 had been held, 2286 men had attended, and at 31 concerts there had been an attendance of- 3835. After concerts and, meetings, 177 free suppers had been given. Forty-six sick seamen had been visited, but that number did not include seamen visited while in hospital. Nine men had joined, the Seamen's Brotherhood, 2500 religious pamphlets and 311 Bibles and Testaments had been distributed. Pic- -. nics had been' held on every public • holiday except at Easter,- and twentypight official football matches between ships liad been played. The financial statement showed that expenditure amounted to £771 4s, and - tli at the income was £539 5s 6d. The following officers were elected: —President, Mr It. MaTe<ofm; vice-presi-dent, Mr W. Machin; hon.- secretary, ... Mr R. S. Badger; lion, treasurer, Mr P. W. Anderson; Board, Mesdames Clark, Miller, Smithson, and Messrs. V w. Jamieson, B. Malcolm, M. J. Miller, W. A. Thomas, J. F. Lewefs, F; G. Norton, W. T. Foster, Huntly Elliott, and Price. ' , • ■, "It is impossible ts, over-estimate -the work of your Society," said : Mr L. M. Isitt, M.P., in the course of an address which he gave after the business had been concluded.- A Society which had for its object the welfare of the sailor should 1 have a .claim on every person in Canterbury. A vote of thanks was passed to the speakers.