THE SAILORS' HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17596, 8 October 1920, Page 5

THE SAILORS' HOME.

A > VISITOR'S iMPRESSjOfCf -^

THE NEEDS' OF JACK ASHOEE." _ Attracted by the handsome " appearance- " and fine situation of your Sailors' Haras, and being interested, as all landsmen should be, in the .welfare of the " Mariners of England," I ventured to enter the bidding during a leisure moment in order to see for myself. jsvhafc ycu are doing for the sailor in this, ,your Busy port. ,XMy request', I * * sw>s courteously responded to -by ' thfe ;plist.er - and matron. : -Let me.' "say this art-pnee, that,, knowing something; of the-sariqr -and his ways, I • did not expect to find-?'-* accommodation quite .up to the stan- aid - of a 15s. a. day hotel, with its lucrative,, well-appointed " harp but I did find all that 1 felt 1 would ask for were I-aV seaman seeking rest ashore, yet wishful to be- in touch with ships and sailors and my ~ native element, and prepared to pay 5s for my bed and three square meals. I was allowed to see the dormitories— each # under'lock and key—they wera at least" clean. well-lighted. Some set * off with .. photos, of wives-or sweethearts, And " displaying, 1 curios or nicknacks— mementos" of another life on <;which_,the sailor delights to dwell and to whichihis roving spirit turns. Even if otherwise devoid of superfluities, I would be well content with such, a cabin. And found a social room, iiV which were 'a score or so of men taking :Uieir- ease to, dhe accompaniment of • theirclays .'. or - briars, and morning paper, or -game of draughts or crib- There were billiard rooms arid ' library, both bi}t nfeitßer, as I might have opined rushed.- 17 The pretty little Mission Hall, well- stocked with reading matter, is open niornings and evenings— being devoted by the . Missioner (Captain Bazley),. to visiting men's .quarters on board ship. But 12 o'clock sounded by the somewhat rducous bell of the Ferry * Building 4 nearby, and I was about to bid adieu to the master and matron, whom a gong f sum--moned.tp the urgent duties, c>f the diningroom," a spacious and well-lighted hall, when sailor-men came trooping in. £,top and havfe-a pJ&te ; bf^soup,- Sir, anyway came the invitation"; and, willing to _see the sea lions fed, I sat roe down. And very good and hot was that Vermicelli. My welcome was not -"off" .with the soup; I had to sample meat and pudding, too. There was choice- .of- three hot joints —salt, roast, and boiled, each with two vegetables, and there were two puddings. |My choice Went to "{lie' ginger ' pudding, which looked tempting, and seemed' to the taste of nay neighbours right .md kit, ■and good it' : with l icely flavoured sauce.

Jly .eyes were not all the time bent upon any plate, attractive as it might be. Opposite me saL. two youths, one say 19, the other perhaps 21, chums it seemed, and of the rest I think half were under 35 yeais. and all were entirely spruce and well conducted. One was a Fijian and another a negro, but neither an exception to the rule in respect to behaviour. » was not surprised, such was the men's appearance, lr. learn that more than one j held master's papers. It gave me some satisfaction to note these farts, because I ! had heard a whisper of "dead beats." Not that sailor-men, or rather all sailormen, are always on show oeliavjour, .but the matron's .womanly tact and sympathy does ' more 'to quell a troubled spirit than the master's mere emphatic methods. ' I have but sought to tell unvarnished', what I taw at- Auckland's Sailors'-Hou;e.~ during an hour's casual vis Auckland* . ers "know better than I what are the a'nss and -rovrnce qS the institution. But what struck me as-an important feature is wh:>t seamen here can do. bank their "ready" to be held at call. As may be supposed quite a nile is sometimes so securely h'eld, and many a man's hard-earned savings saved from doubtful disposition. I was not a little surprised to • learn that the public annual support accorded this institution is under twenty pounds! v Thanks to a well-advised bequest in ;. v older davs, well-husbanded, and to the. i harbour board 10r... .the sit?, the instilu- '.-A , tinn rubs albn?/ and for .over five and 1 thirty . . years, aily 1 , :'ahd yearly, winter rand summer, wind. B"<J storm, bas c&ieced-^^[j| - for the needs "of "Jack ashore. " , „ , , V s ; I •want it to' be understood that- min?- | was strictly an- un«TKicted .visit,_and;tie - occasion, just' " everyday." '

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