FIFTY YEARS OF MISSION WORK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 39 (Supplement)

FIFTY YEARS OF MISSION WORK.

—Northwood Brothers, photo

To many hundreds of people, l>oth ashore and afloat, it will come as a painful surprise to learn that Mr A. R. Falconer, the well-known seamen’s missionary, has been obliged to give up his active work, owing to failing health, after half a-ccntury’s devoted service to mission work amongst those who go down to the sea in ships. In the year 1863 Mr Falconer arrived at Dunedin in the ship “Viola,” and after spending a year ashore he went to Hokitika during the first of the great gold

rushes to the West Coast. During a soj urn of eight years there Mr Falconer was actively engaged in mission work, and finding that the 120 public houses which flourished in Hokitika in those days offered many attractions to the homeless and friendless digger, ho decided to equip a modest reading ro in which all who cared to were welcome to frequent during their leisure hotys—a privilege that was taken advantage of by large numbers of diggers, especially on Saturday evenings. In 1871 Mr Falconer transferred his activities to Port Chalmers, where he laboured P r 20 years amongst the vessels and sailors visit-

ing the port in the palmy days of the “wind-jammers.” Realising the necessity for a building of some kind in which sailors might rendezvous whilst on shore Mr Falc tier set to work to raise lands to establish a “ Sailors’ Rest,” and found his desire fulfilled in May, 1881, when the Port Chalmers Sailors’ Rest was placed at the disposal of visiting seamen. During his mission work at Port Chalmers Air Falconer came into contact with large numbers of men of all nationalities, and his ready help and wise counsel have been freely acknowledged by scores of appreciative mariners, of whom the well-known

writer, Mr Frank Bullcn, is one of the most striking and picturesque examples. The gradual decline and disappearance of sailing craft, the rapid increase in the number of steamers and the deepening < f the Upper Harbour all t ndi d to make Duntdin the shipping terminus, and about 12 years ago Mr Falconer took up his residence in the city, where he continued his unremitting labours amongst the seafaring community with undiminished zeal until quite recently, when failing health com-p-died him to retire from the work with which he has boon so closely identified for the best part of his lifetime. The good

that he has accomplished may perhaps never be fully known, but it is safe to say that there are many hundreds of men scattered over the world to-day who cherish pleasant memories of Mr Falconer and recall his kindly acts on their behalf during their sojourn in (his port. Although no longer able tro take an active part in the work ho loved so well, Mr Falconer’s gc<xl deeds attest his worth, and it is to be hoped that the founder of the Sailors’ Rest mav be son red for many rears to enjoy the well-earned leisure that should reward a life well and nobly spent in the service of mankind.