THE SAILORS' HOME.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3863, 4 July 1874, Page 7

THE SAILORS' HOME.

A meeting of those interested in the establishment of a Sailors' Home in Dunedin, was held at the City' Council Chambers on the 2Gth ult. The meeting, which had been convened by His Worship the Mayor, was very well attende 1, and amongst thnse present were—The Bishop of Dunedin, Dr Nevill, Archdeacon E.I wards, the Rev. Mr Leeson, Major Richardson, M.H.R , Mr Fish, M.P.C., Mr Stout, M. P. C, Captain | Thomson, Harbour Master, Captain Orkney, Deputy Harbour Master, Messrs Walter, Ramsay, Prosser, Strode Grsham, Miylie, Martin, and Capt tin Clark, of Port Chalmers. The chair was taken by His Worship the Mayor,, who explained the objest of the meeting, and stated what had been done by the deputation that waited on His Honour the Superintendent about a week bef-re. The Superintendent had recommei dol that the Institution should be erected outside the Government, aud had promised a subsidy of pound for pound. The matter had received the hearty support of the Provincial Council, and if proper action were taken, they might calculate that in a very short time there would be a Sailors' Home in Dunedin. Mr R. B. Martin said that about a week ago a deputation had waited upon His Honour the Superintendent, and during that interview it was found that the Government had anticipated their wants by having placed on the Estimates a sum of money for a Sailors' Home. At the same time, the Superintendent led them to believe that the Government were willing to give for the purpose a building which he (Mr Martin) believed was on Corporation property. He also recommended them to wait on the Corporation, in order to see whether they would be allowed the temporary use of this piece of ground. The meeting had been called that day because it was necessary to make a start, and he had taken upon himself the liberty of jotting down a few ideas, which he would s ibrnit for the consideration of the meeting. Until the Committee and officers were appointed nothing could be done in the way of collecting moneys or of obtaining the subsidy from the Government. He would suggest that the Institution should be managed by a President, Vice-President, Trustees, Treasurer, Committee of Management, Honorary Physician, Chaplain, Secretary, Collector, Master and Matron, Bankers, Constitution of the Home, and name of Institution :— " (1) That this Institution be designated the Dunedin Sailors' Home. j " (2) That the design of the Institution be to provide a suitable home for seamen of the merchant service trading to this Port, and providing them with a cheap maintenance and comfortable home whilst on shore, and in doing so protect them from the mischief and contamination of the crimp shops. " (3) That no diseased or injured person be admissible.

"(4) That all subscribers of one half guinea annually shall be entitled to vote at the election of officers. '! (5) That any owner or master of a ship collecting from the crew and other 3 the sum of £ shall be entitled to vote at all elections and at Board meetings. "(G.) That all clergymen preaching and collecting for the Trust at the request of the Committee shall be life members, and entitled to vote, &c. "(7.) That any society through their Treasurer, or mercantile firm, contributing the sum of £ , s^alljbe a life member." These [few matters he had committed to paper without having any guide, and he might say that they had no rules of any kindred Institutions to guide them yet. He believed, however, that copies of the rules had been sent for. The Trustees an*! Treasurer need not necessarily be upon the Committee, for they would, ex ojjiclo, be able to vote. With the permission of the meeting he would suggest that the Superintendent should be appointed President, from the great interest he has taken in the establishment of the Home. He would further suggest Mr Strode—who came from sailor stock—as one of the Vice-Presidents. This gentleman was a good worker, and had expressed his willingness to do what he could for the Sailors' Home. Mr E. B, Cargill would also consent to be one of the Committee, and he would also suggest Captain Thomson and Captain Logan, who were residents here. Before he concluded he might announce that Captain Fox had intimated to him that £55 had been collected on the ship " Scimitar," now at the Port.—(Hear, hear.) Mr 11. S. Fi.su said that it seemed to him that the proper thing for the meeting to do was to appoint a Working Committee, who would take into their^ consideration all the matters that Mr Martin had alluded to, and who could report to a future public meeting to be called by themselves. The duty of the Provisional Committee would be to consider upon what basis the Home should be established, and to adopt rules for the future working of the institution. If they confined themselves to this, it would be as much as they were then justified in doing. In his opinion, it would be premature to consider the appointments proposed by Mr Martin. His own opini m was that the efforts of the Comrnittes with regard to subscriptions would be well met by the public. He knew one gentleman who was only waiting to be asked to give' half his honorarium as a member of the Provincial Council—£24—to the fund for the establishment of a Home. Probably others would give a similar sum. He thought the course suggested by him the proper one, and the Provisional Committee would then be able to come up with a well digested plan. Major Richardson asked Mr Martin whether he intended to place his suggestions before them in the shape of a resolution ? Mr Martin replied that Mr Fish was probably right in the course he suggested. There wvre, however, some vessels in the ' harbour upon which money had. been collected, and it was not yet known to whom it should be paid. The present meeting might elect a paid canvasser, who would be empowered to receive moneys. Major Richardson said that he agreed with the programme thatMrMartia had put before them, but he thought Mr Fish's suggestion a valuable one—to appoint a Committee and collect subscriptions. He would also like to allude to" the handsome manner in which the matter had been taken up by the men on the ships at the Port, and which must certainly give them hopes of permanent success. He did not agree with the suggestion to call another general meeting, but thought that all future business should be submitted for the consideration of a meeting of subscribers. Mr Fish said that he quite agreed with this last remark. Archdeacon Edwards wished to know whether the City Council had hf.ca waited upon with reference to this matter. The Mayor replied that nothing had yet been done. Major Richardson asked the Mayor whether he could express an opinion as to whether the Council would view the matter favourably ? The Mayor said he conld only speak for himself. The Council, however, could not give the ground which the old immigration building, promised by the Government, was on. He could not hold out any hopes with reference to this ground. He had no doubt however, that the Council would allow them the use of the ground for a month or so. If the Corporation found that they had a piece of ground of less value, he had no doubt that they would come to terms with the Committee of an Institution that was to do so much go-id. Mr Fish said he would move the following—"That a Committee, consisting of Captain Clark, the Mayor of Dunedin, Messrs E. B. Cargill, Ritchie, R. B. Martin, Ramsay, Stout, Captain Thomson, Street, Tewsley, Walter, Strode, Black, W. F. Wheeler, Walcott, Prosser, Rattray, TurnbnH, Houghton, G. F. Reid, Guthrie, Brodrick, and the Mover, be formed fir the purpose of collecting subscriptions, drawingupacode of rules, and reporting to a meeting of subscribers to be called a fortnight hence." Mr R. B. Martin seconded the motion, j which was carried, with an addition, made jat the suggestion of Mr Walter, that j the Committee should have power to add to their number Mr Fish suggested that a subscription should be started in the room, but the suggestion was not acted upon. Captain Clark alluded to the wish of the Port Chalmers people to have the Sailors' Home down there, and to the amount that would be collected at that place. Now, however, he felt that they must fall in with the strong, and do their best to forward the Home to be established in Dunedin. There would be a little more money to hand over after the Port Chalmers RegatH. Bishop..NeviMi remarked that the question before the meeting wns not as- to where the Home should be. Th«* Committee that would be appointed by the general body of subscribers would take this matter into their consideration, as one of the first steps to be settled. As he was not usually present at meetings of the citizens, he would take the opportunity of stating that he was there that afternoon j'sst to manifest by his presence the interest he felt in the proposal to establish a Sailors' Home, and in. .ill those questions which were of a character be '.ring upon the progress and interests of the place where he was called upon to reside. It was very little a clergyman could do in such a a matter as this, but at the same tim-j it was a question on which a clergyman could, without incongruity, make his appearance, because the moral character of a portion of the community—namety, the sailors—was connected with the establishment of such an institution as the one proposed. He had nothing to offer in the way of suggestions, but he would take an interest in the Institution, and help it in any way that might lie in his power. 4.f ter some further discussion, the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman. POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND, 1574 The following table, published in the New Zealand Times, showing approximately the numbers of the Population of the Provinces of the Colony (exclusive of aboriginal Natives), as ascertained by a census taken for the night of March I, 1574, including a comparison with the numbers ascertained by the census of February, 1871, is published by the Registrar-General. It is a summary of more detailed information for the several divisions of the Colmiy which has already appeared in the Gazette from, time to time, as received by the respective enumerators : —

Increase m lS7i . f 20,C2!) 22/27] j 42,(-'QO ]or 13-72;w 21-01 tor 10-74 ::l>ei' cciii'iHsr cewtiper ecu

Population Province. Males. Females Total. I Auckland ..March, 1S74 Do ..Feb., 1871 Taranaki . .March, 1S74 Do ..Feb., 1S71 Weilinjcton .. March, 1S74 Do ..Feb., 3871 Hawke'sBay ..March, 1874 Do ..Feb., 1871 Marlborough .. March, 1874 Do ..Feb., 1871 Nelson ..March, 1874 Do ..Feb., ' 1S71 Westland .. March, 1S74 Do ..Feb., 1871 Canterbury . .March, 1874 Do ..Feb., 1871 Otago ..March, 1874 Do ..Feb., 1871 j 37,117 35,502 3,051 2,572 1G,'23O 13,180 5,400 3,500 3,GG43,235 13,555 14,257 9,458 10,453 32,294 2f,,781 50,121 41,091 ! 30,228 26,833 2,432 1,008 13,500 10,821 3,812 2,403 2,479 2,000 9,011 8.244 5,305 4,904 20,476 21,020 34,001 27,S00 1 07,345 i 02,335 5,0S3 4.4S0 29,730 24,001 9,218 0,059 0,143 5,235 22.5GG 22,501 14.S23 15,357 5S.770 4(S,S01 85,082 09,491 Totals (exclusive of Chat-! ham Islands) March, 187-i Totals (cxclu ivc ol Chat-' ham Islands) Feb., 1871 170,890 I 1123,20-1 299,100 .! 150,207 jlOu.OO:! [25C,2C0