OFFICERS AS DECK HANDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21774, 13 October 1932, Page 6

OFFICERS AS DECK HANDS

PORT GISBORNE'S CREW HO BRIDGE JOBS OFFERING (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND; October 12. The deck crew of the Port Gisborne, which arrived to-day from London, consists of 18 young certificated officers who have been unable to find bridge jobs. Sixteen of them; come from good English families and famous public schools, and the remaining two are. New • Zealanders—-Able Seaman R. J. W, Baxter, of Milford, and Quartermaster R. B. Russell, of Dunedin. . '’ Although all these young men, whose ages range from- 18 to 22 years, have passed tlieir first examination for-second mate’s certificates, thehuge amount of idle shipping-in .the world, prevents them from obtaining, officers’ appointments and the Commonwealth, and Dominion Line, has offered, them .temporary jobs as deck hands at the Board of Trade rate oU pay—namely, £8 2s a month —until such time as the shipping outlook improves and bridge jobs can be found for them. In the meantime, one is a boatswain, another a lamptrinimer, four are quartermasters, 12’ are-!. A.B.s, andjythey arc* quartered in the .forecastle* the-sariiei as• any • men , what They can 'to make the seamen s cabins allotted to them a little homelike. They have put carpets on the floor, driVomcnted shades oVer.thelights, and framed pictures and photographs on the walls. ,• Strictly speaking, they have no special privileges, being treated the same as an ordinary deck .crew, but there is a strong bond of sympathy between them and the officers and matters are so contrived that delicacies not usually known in the forecastle mess occasionally appear on their tabic. On deck/ they perforin theusual round of sailors’ duties, scrubbing decks, polishing brass, and keeping the look-out watch, the quartermasters taking it. in turn to steer. Several of the men have served their apprenticeship in the Royal Naval Reserve, and one of them, Quartermaster R. H. Adams, was an acting Sublieutenant in the H.M.S. Renown, which brought the Prince of, Wales to New Zealand in 1920. Another was a midshipman on the H.M.S. Rodney, and others have received their naval training on the H.M.S. Worcester. : The Aucklander, Baxter, who obtained, his second mate’s certificate in London nine months ago, said it was Very difficult for a mercantile marine officer to obtain a job in England. “I searched all over London for six months without finding even a hint of a job,” lie said. “ There arc 3000 certificated officers looking for work in London, and nianyi of them have masters certificates.” ' Captain Higgs, piaster pf the Port Gisborne, said it was a great shame to see so many, promising young officers unable, through-circumstances beyond tlieir control, totsturn their- education’ and training to, its •'proper use." So fat as I know,” he said,ours dg .tiie' only company -that "is li?Qk.in» \ -after its- young officers in this way. It is greatly to the credit df fhb company to do so, and the hoys gre to be admired for ■ accepting the offer, fpr .the. majority of them, conic from very ’"'good homes, and I ■.have UQ doubt many -of/them could, if they chose, look to their parents for support rather than carry on as they are doing. As a 'crew, one could not for better. We have not experienced a single hitch of any kind.”