TRAINING YOUTHS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25300, 6 September 1945, Page 6

TRAINING YOUTHS

WORK OF TAMAKI FINE RECORD OF SERVICE It is generally expected that H.M.N.Z.S. Tamaki, the naval training establishment at Motuihi Island, will shortly be closed. The Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, expressed the view this week that it would not be retained in peacetime, and it is believed that its return to the Auckland City Council will not be delayed. This makes it opportune to record the excellent service given the Royal New Zealand Navy and the country by Tamaki since Motuihi was taken over by the New Zealand Naval Board on January 20, 1941. It was placed under the command of Commander G. H. Dennistoun, D.5.0., R.N. (Retired), and he has commanded it ever since. Thousands Dealt With In addition to the training of ratings for permanent service in the Navy, Tamaki undertook the training of all "hostilities only" youths and men. When it was opened it was proposed to train about 900 ratings a year, but this number yaried according to the changing demands of the war situation. At the end of four it had trained more than 6000 ratings, or about 60 per cent of the Now Zealanders then on naval service, and since then this number has risen by several more hundreds. Among the men who have passed through Tamaki have been ordinary seamen, naval airmen, candidates for commissions, stokers, telegraphists, coders, writers, supply assistants, cooks and signalmen, as well as ratings intended for naval duties in merchant ships, harbour defences and-so on. After leaving Tamaki the ratings were drafted to various ships and establishments, and the soundness of the training they received at Motuihi has been shown time and again by the satisfaction they have given wherever they have served. Ideal Locality No bettor situation for such a station could have been found. The island is remote enough from the city to allow the boys and men under training to i concentrate on their work without interruption, but at the same time it is sufficiently accessible for supplies to be readily delivered and for leave to be granted. There are adequate facilities for swimming and boatwork, and plenty of room for recreation and parades. The buildings of the Health Departi incut's quarantine station were used i as the basis of the establishment, but ! to them liavo been added various other buildings. Today the station includes 10 large dormitories, a gymnasium, chapel, sick bay, dining hall, instructional huts, 1 school, officers' quarters and an administrative block. The buildings and the ! grounds have been carefully maintained and tended, so that both the appearance and the record of the station have been a credit to the commander and his staff ' and to the boys and men who have passed through it. PEACE CELEBRATIONS THE LIQUOR ASPECT EDUCATION BOARD VIEWS "I move that we co-operate with the City Council in the suggested peace celebrations, subject to the hotels in Auckland being closed on that day," said Mr W. I. Bowyer at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday, when an invitation was received from the council to send two representatives to a conference to consider pro- . posals to celebrate the signing of peace. ) It" was proposed to hold a parade, with sporting events a children's party ! in the Domain.

Mr J. M. McWhannell said he supported Mr Bowyer's suggestion, because it had been stated that present-day education was responsible -for the events of V-P Day. Mr C. S. Morris: This has nothing to do with hotels; it is a children's party at the Domain under good supervision. Mr Bowyer: Why is it not possible that the last exhibition will bo repeated in the Domain? An amendment by Mr M. Priestley that it be a recommendation to the council that during the celebrations every step be taken to see that there was no abuse of alcohol was carried. Mr T. Turbott and an officer of the board were appointed representatives. "SEEMS A BIT LATE" THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS "It seems to be a bit late; it is like firing off a damp squib," said the deputy-chairman of the Auckland Grammar School Board, Mr J. V. Mackv, at yesterday's meeting, when an invitation was received from the City Council to appoint two representatives to the peace celebrations conference. Miss A. L. Loudon and Mr C. Littlejohn were appointed. MEMORIAL PLANNED HALL AT ST. HELIERS Tho construction of a memorial hall at St. Heliers costing about £16,000 is proposed by the Tamaki Ex-service Association. To facilitate the scheme the association has petitioned the City Council for a lease in perpetuity at a peppercorn rental of a portion of the reserve on the St. Heliers waterfront, this being regarded as the ipost suitable site. The petition, containing over 1200 names of members of the association and residents of the district, has been referred by the council to its Parks Committee. Tho committee has received a deputation on the question and will probably malco a recommendation to tho next meeting of the council. It is stated in tho petition that for some years past there has been an urgent need for a public hall of sufficient size to meet tho requirements of the rapidly-growing residential district. The piece of land required is about a rood in area at the corner of Goldie and Dcvore Streets. Tho hall would not encroach unduly on the existing playing area.