BARRED FROM THE SEA?

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 191, 2 August 1930, Page 3

BARRED FROM THE SEA?

NEW ZEALAND BOYS. LACK OF OPPORTUNITY. In New Zea’and at least a hundred boys want to 20 to sea, but they are barred for lack of opportunity, said Captain Ross, a retired master mariner, living in Auckland. Captain Ross considers there should be some arrangement for giving boys sea training on the ships of the regular lines. ‘ 1 don’t believe in training ships unless they are ships in service.” said Captain Ross. He added that, aftci 6-5 years’ observation and 50 years' | experience at sea. mainly in command • of sailing ships, he was convinced that sea training should begin the moment a vcuim man went to sea. If the training were given in a training ship, little was taught except discipline: the cost was hoaw and only well-to-do parents could afford to send their boys to sea. Captain Ross says that a hoy brought up in a frugal wav is better equipped to make an officer or captain

than a boy from a we’l-to-do family. Every young man should have the same opportunities of securing a sea training, he considers, as he has a primary education in this country Auckland is specially concerned with this question, because of the yachting activities here, which give splendid training in seamanship. Captain Ross, although he spent nearly the whole of bis active sea life in sailing ships, said lie realises the time of sailing vessels is past. He suggested that the question should be taken up bv Mr. \V. P. Endeaii. M.P. for Parnell, who was a prominent yachtsman and commodore of the vacht squadron.