OFFICERS AS SEAMEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22131, 10 June 1935, Page 10

OFFICERS AS SEAMEN

MEN ON PORT GISBORNE SOME IMPROVE POSITION There are still a number of certificated officers serving as sailors on board the Commonwealth and Dominion Lino motor-ship Port Gisborne, which arrived from London yesterday morning. For over three years, prior to the vessel's present voyage, the 18 deck hands on board were all cadets who had served their time in tlio company, but had been unable to obtain positions at sea as officers after they had passed their examination for second mate. Tho difficulty was duo to the large number of vessels idle in Great Britain, causing hundreds of masters and oflicers to be unemployed. Many had been forced to accept positions in the forecastle.

Duriug the period that the company has been employing ex-cadets as sailors on the Port Gisborno vacancies have occurred from time to time and some of the men have been successful in obtaining better positions, but the vacancies have been fdled by other certificated ox-cadets. However, the position has now improved and there are only 10 ex-cadets in the vessel's crew, the other eight having been successful in finding employment as oflicers during tho vessel's stay in England. There were no more unemployed ex-cadets offering to replace them "bofore the vessel left for New Zealand, so the full complement of the deck hands was increased by four cadets, who are serving their time, and four ordiuary seamen.