COMPANY OF MARINERS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 July 1929, Page 11

COMPANY OF MARINERS

TRIBUTE TO MERCHANTMEN. ‘ FOSTERING SPIRIT OF LOYALTY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Distinctly nautical in character, the first annual dinner of the New Zealand Company of Master Mariners was held last night, proceedings commencing with eight bells and the announcement “Lights are brigh- and all’s well.” The room was decorated with bunting and at the head table were port, starboard and masthead lights. Those present included the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Marine (the Hon. J. G. Cobbe), the president of the company (Sir Charles Statham), Bishop Sprott, Captain Fraser of the Royal Navy, and a large gathering of master mariners and guests. Proposing the toast of the patron, the Governor-General, Sir Charles Statham said the motto of the company, “Deeds, not words; fear God; honour the King,” fittingly represented its aim, which was to foster and maintain that robust spirit of loyalty which had always been an essential trait of the British master mariner.

Sir Charles Fergusson, proposing the toast 'The Merchant Navy,” said it was a little unfortunate that the first annual dinner should not have been held during the term of his predecessor, Lord Jellicoe, who could be regarded as the most distinguished of British sailors of the present day. He said the motto of one of the British chambers of shipping, “The safety of the realm lies in mastery of the sea,” aptly described the position of the British Empire. Mastery of the sea had two meanings, the ability to pursue on it one’s lawful occupations and the knowledge and skill to cope with all caprices of the sea -itself. In the latter sense the merchant marine had the mastery of the sea. For many centuries the merchant service was mother of the old navy, just as to-.day it was sifter of the new navy and during the war had showed it still possessed the same spirit as had characterised the Vikings and old Elizabethan adventurers. Sir- Joseph Ward congratulated the company on the auspicious way in which it had initiated its annual dinner, and both he and Mr. Cobbe wished it success in the future. Sir Charles Statham, while replying to the toast of the president, and Captain Fraser, while replying to the toast of the guests, paid tributes to the heroism of the merchant seamen in the war.

The toasts, which included the King, the Master of the Merchant Navy (the Prince of Wales) and the Prime Minister, were interspersed with nautical songs and chanties.