TRAINING SHIPS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1628, 13 May 1903, Page 54

TRAINING SHIPS

THE APPLICATION FOR A WARVESSEL,

Following is a copy of the correspondence that has passed between Mr Scddon and the Imperial Government with respect to the acquirement by the colony of one of the vessels of the Imperial Navy for use as a training ship in New Zealand waters:—

Hotel Cecil, London, September 3, 1902. To the First Lord of the Admiralty. My Lord, —Seeing that some of the vessels on the Australian-New Zealand station are obsolete, and will probably not be required for active service, I would respectfully urge you to grant one of these ships to be used as a training ship for boys in New Zealand, who would be drafted from our orphanages, and, when of age, would probably join the drill ship to be provided under the new agreement respecting the Austra-lian-New Zealand squadron. This has been a long-felt want in our colony, and would be not only serviceable in furnishing firemen for the drill ship, but would also serve to furnish seamen for our mercantile marine, which is very desirable, as a great number of men on. the steamers in the colonies now are aliens. Trusting that you will give this matter favourable consideration, —I have, etc., R. J. Seddon, Premier of New Zealand. .

The reply of the Admiralty was forwarded by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Governor and by him to the Premier. After the matter had been considered by Cabinet, the Premier addressed *the following memorandum to the Governor:

Premier’s Office, 25th February, 1903. The Premier has the honour to inform his Excellency that the offer made by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that they will, towards the end of 1903, when the time comes for relieving his Majesty’s ship Lizard, or other similar vessel, favourably consider the granting of one of his Majesty’s ships on the Australian station for a training ship for boys in New Zealand, on the understanding that the arrangement made shall involve no expense to the Crown, having been duly considered by his Government, is accepted with thanks. The Premier respectfully requests in order that full details may be in the possession of his Government, that his Excellency will cause to be furnished all information as to the estimated cost of equipment of ship, number of officers, petty officers and men usually employed on a similar training Ship in Home waters, also accommodation, dietary, and usual up-keep, and any data that might assist his Government in making provision in the Departmental Estimates for the purpose of maintaining a training ship for boys in these waters. (Signed) R. J. Seddon.