BRITISH FOREIGN SAILORS' SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 16515, 29 August 1917, Page 4

BRITISH FOREIGN SAILORS' SOCIETY

♦ The chief item of businesa at th* monthly meeting of the local executive of the above society., which met in the Sailors' Rest on Monday evening, was the matter of arranging for tbe street collection to be made on Saturday September 15, ill the interests of tho Savy League and the headquarters of the Sailors' Society. It was reported that some eight patriotic societies bad -united in the /resolve to' raise as large a earn as possible for the relief of the brave men of tho Kavy and the Merchant Service who had suffered loss through the war. It k believed that" the public will respond with open-handed liberality to an appeal for the men who have hazarded everything in order to maintain Britain's supremacy on the high seas and to guard the heart of the Empire from invasion and starvation. The district allotted to the lady collectorß of the Sailors' Society lie* between Frederick'street and the Octagon, and from George street to the foreshore. A committee was appointed to co-operate with representatives of other societies in. working tip interest in the movement and arranging all the necessary details. .1 lie local branch hopes to have a very solia sum to remit to London as a result of the forthcoming effort, and oommends the cause with the utmost confidence to the generosiiy of the public The treasurer (Mr E. Wood) aborted that the receipts for the month had been sufficient to meet the current expenses of 'tile Best, and Miss Ing& (the authorised collector) was complimented on the amount ahe had received during the month, and encouraged to persevere m her good work. Mr Buchon, the missioner, reported that the scarcity of shipping had reduced the number of visitors to the Rest and tlie number of services held, but, that several aood services had been held, and a fair use had been made- of the privileges of the Rest. Ho expressed a desire for a fresh supplv of magadnes and papers for the use of seamen calling at the Rest, and aj» for placing on boardthe vessels in port as opportunity occurred. Such material could be sent through the Post Office free of charge) and all such gifts would be gratefully accepted and wisely used. He-sug-gested, too, that a circulating library would be a boon, and would greatly increase the usefulness of the Society. The Home society placed boxes of books on board for tho benefit of the sailors in their leisure hours, and found these returned in good condition, as a rule, to be exchanged for others. If friends of the seamen in our City would _be good enough to select from their libraries books suitable for placing aboard the ships that come to our port, he would be grateful and would see that they were put to good US The secretary (Mr C. H. Mathieson) was directed to ask if the London headquarters of the society could aid the local branch with a grant of books such as they had found helpful to tlie seamen. A. letter was received from tile .ladyprincipal of the Balolutha- District High School, offering, on behalf of the girls, of i the school, to assist in the preparation of , Christmas bags for the sailors. A hone \ was expressed that Captain Neville misrnt i be induced to deliver Ms lecture on 'With the Troops at Sea' in aid of the funds of the Rest.