BRITISH SAILORS’ SOCIETY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29010, 26 September 1959, Page 15

BRITISH SAILORS’ SOCIETY

Delegates Meet At Lyttelton

Increased activity in maintaining the facilities provided by the various clubs throughout the Dominion had taken place during the last year, said the Dominion secretary (the Rev. Canon R. JWitty) in his annual report to the Dominion conference of the British Sailors’ Society (New Zealand) Inc., at Lyttelton yesterday. The five branches had consistently sought to promote the allround welfare of sailors who had visited New Zealand or served in its coastal shipping services, he said. . About 54,393 seamen had visited the clubrooms, and 3584 visits to ships had been paid by the club s missioners, said Canon Witty. Activities had included the provision of thousands of suppers, handling mail, organising sightseeing tours, and introductions to private homes. Canon Witty said that in recent months the Merchant Navy Clubs at Napier and Mount Maunganui had become affiliated with the society. . The Superintendent-Chaplain of the society (the Rev. R. W. Phillips) said that in his travels about the conn try on work for the society he had been amazed at the work done by voluntary worke*An increasing interest in the society’s work had been taken by churches of all denominations: Only two remits were put to the meeting, and both were carried. As a result, Lady Cobham will be invited to become patron of the society’s Ladies’ Guild, and the inclusion of a wider representation of members from the general community will be sought. Tributes to the work done by the Superintendent-Chaplain during his two years in New Zealand were paid by Canon Witty and the Lyttelton delegate, the Rev. D. K. Boyd. Next year’s conference will be held in Auckland.

Officers elected were: Patron, the Governor-General (Lord Cobham); vice-presidents, the leaders of the various churches; president, Mr A. Playle (Auckland); secretary, the Rev. Canon R. J. Witty.