SEA TRAINING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23083, 7 July 1938, Page 15

SEA TRAINING

YACHTSMEN'S CLASS NAVY LEAGUE SCHEME A preliminary meeting of a senior class formed by the Auckland branch of the Navv League to enable yachtsmen with sea-going experience to study advanced seamanship was held last night in the Naf v League rooms. The reasons for the formation of the class and the purpose and scope of the lectures to be given were explained to members by Commander C. H. T. Palmer, president, and Mr. J. H. Frater, chairman of the Auckland branch of the league. Captain W. J. Keane, who is about to retire from the Marine Department, has been engaged by the league as instructor of the class, which is composed of three members from each of the major yacht clubs. The course will embrace coastal navigation, meteorology. chart reading, position-finding, Morse communication and allied subjects to a standard which will enable those completing the course to sit for the yachtman's home trade master's certificate examination of the Marine Department. When the training of the senior class is finished, it is proposed that the members will commence classes of instruction in their own ~fclubs under the supervision of Captain Keane and associate instructors.

It is considered that under this scheme a number of skilled men will be available for marine services in time of national emergency, Instead of being drafted into the army, such men could he drafted into the navy or assigned special duties in the performance of which their special knowledge would be of advantage.