British Seamen for British Ships.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 18, 29 April 1908, Page 42

British Seamen for British Ships.

Lord Brassey, who presided at a conference of representatives of county councils, the Navy League, and other bodies at the Westminster Palace Hotel, at which the practicability of establishing groups of counties which would agree to give nautical scholarships tenable at training homes was discussed, pointed to the example set by the Surrey County Council in the matter, and expressed the opinion that some of the money held by the county coun.cils for technical training might well.be devoted to the training of seamen. "Sir John Gray Hill pointed out that while the country provided ships to train boys who liad some taint of criminality about them, there was no provision for the poor but honest boy. "There are -40,000 aliens in the British mercantile marine,’’ he continued, “and 1 claim that there .are plenty of poor 'boys in England who could’ fill these positions.” The following resolution, moved by the chairman, was carried unanimously: “That this conference of representatives of county councils and others is of opinion that full assistance from education funds should be devoted to the education of seamen in accordance with the recommendation of all the departmental committees which have from time to time been appointed to report on the training of seamen.”