MASTER MARINERS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 91, 14 October 1935, Page 16

MASTER MARINERS

COMPANY'S ANNUAL DINNER

SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION

An atmosphere of robust camaraderie made the annual dinner of the New Zealand Company of Master Mariners, which was held at the Midland Hotel on Saturday evening, go with a swing. The Governor-General (Lord Galway), who was the guest of honour as patron, stressed the importance to the Empire as a whole of the British mercantile marine; than which, he said, no: more loyal body of men existed. Sir Charles. Statham, president of the company, was in the chair. Major Purvis, military secretary, and Sir Standish O'Grady Roche, R.N., A.D.C., accompanied his Eaccilency. Other guests were the Hon. C. E. Macmillan, Minister of Agriculture; Captain L. V. Morgan, M.V.O, D.5.0., A.D.C., second Naval Member of the Navy Board; Captain W. H. Hartman, marine superintendent of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Co., Ltd., arid Mr. L. B. Campbell, secretary to the Marine Department. , Proposing the toast of the GovernorGeneral, Sir Charles Statham said the rugged and robust loyalty of master mariners to the King was surpassed by no other section of the community. HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM. His. Excellency, in reply, said he had the greatest admiration for the great companies of master mariners, of which the body in New. Zealand was one. The company in London held a very high place in the esteem of the city and ranked close to the great city guilds. r He touched on the doings of the mercantile marine in the Great War, remarking that no other section had greater patriotism. Throughout the years it had built up a tradition. In the time of Elizabeth the . fearless adventurers set sail across unknown seas, without knowledge and without charts—they were men indeed. That spirit lived on through the ages, and was never more greatly exemplified than in the Great War, in the men's heroism in the cause of country and duty. In London, the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, with the Prince of Wales as its master, was the youngest of the great city guilds, and had been founded jhiefly to commemorate the doings of the British mercantile marine in the war. Captain W. H. Hartman, proposing the toast of "Parliament," said that members; of Parliament could not please everybody, and it should be recognised that they* Were working for the good of the country at large. They were doing what they thought to be in. the interests of the community. At present, with the crisis in Europe, every thinking man must realise, how much, in • New Zealand and throughout the Empire, the mercantile marine was ' depended upon. It was felt that Parliament realised that, and they looked forward, to Parliament studying the interests of the mercantile marine in all their doings in the future. LOYALTY TO THE THRONE. Sir ■ Charles Statham, responding, said never had there been greater affection and loyalty to the Throne than at the time of the Silver Jubilee,: and never had there been greater pride in being one of the great British Commonwealth of Nations. Other toasts honoured were "The Navy," proposed by Captain W. Whiteman and responded to by Captain L. V. Morgan, R.N.; "The Merchant Service," proposed by the Hon. C. E. 'Macmillan, .and responded to by Captains F. A. Macindoe and S. Holm; "The Visitors," proposed by Captain G. P. ilall and responded to by Messrs. A. Leigh Hunt and L. B. Campbell; and "Absent Members," proposed by Captain a. S. Gill. Sea:songs and other items were contributed by Captains P. S. Peterson, A. S. Gibson, W. J. Keane, G. Knowles, A. Boardman, and J. Sawyers (accompanist). -