SEA AS A CAREER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21030, 14 November 1931, Page 8

SEA AS A CAREER.

TRAINING FOR IYOUTHS. APPRENTICESHIP PROPOSED. OBJECTIONS TO THE SCHEME. That more provision than at present exists should be provided for New Zealand youths who are willing to adopt the sea ns a career is the opinion of a number of representatives of commercial, educational and a social organisations who were present at a meeting held early this week to discuss opportunities for boys leaving school. Prominent. Auckland citizens are interested in the movement, which has as its aim the training of boys and the provision of greater opportunities for youths ■who wish to so to sea, not as ordinary seamen, but with the idea of ultimately rising to positions of command. It is understood that representations in the matter are to be made to the Government. One of the conditions which operated Against. the training of boys at present was the restriction on the crews which could he carried on a. ship sailing under New Zealand articles, said an advocate of the movement yesterday. While there was provision for ships to carry boys, in practice it was found that after one or two voyages boys tried to ship as ordinary seamen, the rates for which were £9 4s n month if thev were under 18 years and £lO 9s if they were over that age. A boy would be no use to a shipowner at that wage, and all companies preferred to employ men as ordinary seamen. While youths were employed on ships as boys they were employed in cleaning brass, scrubbing and other duties, which did not give them any nautical training, and fhey gained no knowledge of handling a ship or its cargo. Previous Systems. The speaker stated that prior to the war the Union Steam Ship Company had trained a number of apprentices in the Aparima. which carried as many as 60 cadets. There had also been a. training ship at Wellington, the Amokura, under Government control, but now, when the volume ei shipping in the coastal and intercolonial service had increased, there was no provision for training boys. While it was considered that suitable ♦■raining could he carried on in a stationary vessel, such as the training ships moored in the Mersey and other rivers in England, it was realised that at present it might be difficult to finance such a. system, even with the co-operation of shipping companies. Prior to tlie war there been a number of trading schooners and scows on the coast which took boys, but. these had almost- disappeared, and the only • alternative appeared to be a shore depot. If any craft for the training of boys could not be obtained at a- reasonable cost.' it should be possible to train them at. such centres as the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve sheds, where there was provision for instruction in such work as steering, compass work, the handling of boats and splicing. Legislation Required. j

If bovs were able to obtain their training on shore, they might be permitted to sit for an examination and granted a certificate. If tho Government would alter the present shipping regulations to allow companies to carry apprentices or cadets, boys with licences could then be given posts on intercolonial and coastal steamers running under New Zealand aitides. To enable this to be done, special legislation would be required empowering such companies as wished to carry cadets. It was suggested that after the boys had undergone their shore training, they should be given positions as apprentices at a scale of about £5 a month to start with, rising annually after four years to £6 or £7, the pay to be approximate to that of apprentices in shore trades. While they were at sea the boys should be given every opportunity of learning, so that when they completed their time they would be competent to sit for the lowest officer's certificate.

"I can say that 90 per cent, of the men manning ships on the New Zealand register are from outside countries," concluded the speaker. "This applies to seamen, deck officers and to a smaller extent to engineers. In Auckland over 100 Sea Scouts are trained every year, their instruction comprising sailing work, compass instruction, general seamanship, and the elements of coastal navigation. Many of these boys desire to go to sea as a career, but they are unable to obtain a position. There is something wrong if lads who have received a. preliminary training and are keen on the sea- are unable to get any further." Difficulties Involved. "I do not see that there is any chance ef such a scheme being put into operation at the present time," said a shipping company official yesterday. "While the companies would be willing to carry apprentices for training, such a proposal •would entail altering the manning scheme on all New Zealand ships, and there would be a great deal of hostility by the Seamen's Union and other Labour interests. For each cadet or apprentice that was carried, an ordinary seaman would be put out of work and the scheme might mean the end of ordinary seamen, while the position of able seamen would be affected." He added that while there might be prospects of carrying apprentices if there f was a- trade revival, there were a greatmany seamen out of work at present, and any proposal to add to their number, which was what the proposal entailed, would meet with the strongest opposition. No political party would dare introduce legislation to make it possible, as the hardship caused to adult seamen would be. too great, and the benefits of the scheme- would be more than counterbalanced by the additional number of men who would be forced out of work. No company could carry additional members of the crew at present, and for every apprentice who was added to the crew a, man would have to be discharged.