BRITISH AND FOREIGN SAILORS' SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 17311, 26 March 1920, Page 6

BRITISH AND FOREIGN SAILORS' SOCIETY

OTAGO BRANCH (Incorporated). Report for the year ending March, 1920, to be presented at the annual meeting on Monday 29th' test. Your committee nave pleasure in presenting their account of the doings of the soc-ety for the past year, and trust it will prove that the funds placed at their disposal hftve been well expended and that the work which they have had tie privil«S*: of f l ipervrsing has been faithfully "done. At the last annual meeting the executive were authorised to issue m appeal to the pubho for at least £250, for the purpose of renovating and altering the two Reata m which the work of the society is carried on. It was found necessary to ask for $350, and the response which the appeal elicited amounted to £341. Several gift* of £25 each greatly helped the fund, and to all contribator3 of large or small amounts the thanks of the society are heartily accorded. Of tlio chuTches to which the appeal was sent, two Presbyterian and four Baptist either made special collections or voted amounts towards the fund. £216 12s 7d was expended in nnDTOvins tho Rattray Street Rest, and £99 12s lOd in altering the Port Chalmers Rest. Advertising and printing cost £lO Is 10d,'leaving a bala-nce. of £l4 3s lOd for future needs. It has not been found easy to maintain the general fund. If a larger sum were required (as we hope it some day will) a paid collector would no doubt "find the merchants of the city were very willing to contribute regularly "to the upkeep of the Teste, but while our needs are onlv limited we have to depend upon voluntary donations, and tho claims of tho work areapt to be overlooked. A special appeal for help was issued in" 1 September, but the atention paid to it was disappointing. We feel that the churches of the citv might fairly be expected to assist a work which i* carried on in their name, and which thay could not individually undertake, lliw seamen tvho visit our ports are entitled to the hospitality and kindness of the entire Christian community, and all friends of the seamen should regard it as a privilege to support the society which has been founded to minister to the 60cial and spiritual needs of those who go down to the sea in ships. Mr Buchan, the honorary missioner of the City Rest, reports that" some 32 oversea vessels came to the port during the year, and that 69 suppers and teas were h*4d for the benefit of their crews. Gospel meetings were also held for them, and all efforts made to guard them froia the moral perils which every seaport pre- ' sents and to inspire them with the highest ideals. Six Indian crews were entertained at the Rest, and Mr A. A. Lind was able to address them in their own tongue, and to set before them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The missioner was t;!ad to have a.= a hehper one who was x familiar with Hindustani and who could make these foreign visitors feel more at tame than if English only had been spoken. Mr D. K. L. Walker, the honorary missioner of the Port Chalmers Rest, reports that the year has been one of great activity and of much blessing. Manv vessels have been berthed at the Port, and the crews of all of them have been invited to the Rort. and have availed themselves of the facilities afforded by it for writing letters, reading, and'friendly intercourse. Frequent social gatherings" have been held, followed by evangelistic services. The Sunday service has been continued throughout the year, and many of the men have left the Port changed and happier men. The crew of the Westmoreland, which was under repair for some six months at the Port, were deeply grateful to havo such a pleasant place as the Rest in which to spend their evenings. The missioner accords thanks to the 'Otago Daily Times' for a copy of their paper, John Mill, Esq., for coal, Messrs Wilkie and Co. and Whitcombe and Tombs for stationery, and many friends for magazines. The society is deeply indebted to these honorary missioners for the time and thought they cheerfully devote to the seamen. They spare no effort to minister to their highest good. No vessel i? allowed to come to either port without being visited and their crews invited to the Rests. | Entertainment is provided for them, and | bright services are held for their benefit. j The society is fortunate in having volunj t-ary workers to carry on this good work j with unwearied fidelity from year to year. jThey have gathered around" them, too, j bands of willing helpers, who are always ; ready to aid them in their praiseworthy j efforts. Of these it will not be though* j invidious if special mention is made of Mrt I and Miss whose zeal for work amonj j the seamen has been maintained now foi many years, and whose services are of higls j value. During the year the trustees of tha [Frank Bullen Fund for Distressed Seamen : handed over to the society the balance of I that fund (£44 15s 7d)," which will, of ] course, be expended only on the terms of j the original trust. Help was given from j this fund to two seamen who lost their ] kits through the disastrous fire in Carcill street. ' j A further sum of £3,625 15s 4d was re- ! mitted to headquarters in June last in aid jof the fund for men of the mercantile : marine who had suffered loss through being i torpedoed during the war, making a total 1 of £13.620 13s 4d collected and remitted ; by Mr J. A. Johnstone, the energetic seoj retary of this special fund. I Thanks .are due and are hereby accorded j to various firms and friends who have aided |by gifts in kind. Some have supplied coal, sugar, butter, and other useful arI tides. One firm presented the Rest with j a chair for the president; another framed pictures to adorn the walls; yet another jgavo window blinds. Messrs" Begg and Co. have loaned the Rest a piano, which is very useful. Special mention may be made of the gift of 106 copies of son.es and solos from O-ptain sseville -trhich hzA been originally presented by Mr A. R. Falconer to the Maheno. We thank, also, Mr W. S. Bedell and friends who met at Pounawea at Christinas time for providing Mr Buchan with a bicycle, which has greatly lightened his labors. Early in the year Mr E. Wood retired from the treasurership, and the executive were relieved and grateful when Mr Chas. E. Beckingsale accepted the vacant posi> tion. Mr Henry Redell was elected a member of the executive in place of Mr Fred Martin, who had removed to Gisborne. Mr W. J. Love has recently been elected a vice-president of the society, and the Revs. R. H. Knowles Kempton and Ray C. .Stewart have accepted seats on the committee. | We front the new year with hopefulness, , and rely upon the liberality of the Christian public to furnish all the funds required for carrying on the ministry of helpfulness which the great society of which we form an inconspicuous branch renders to our merchant seamen throughout our widely-extended Umpire.