THE AMOKURA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2283, 31 August 1908, Page 2

THE AMOKURA.

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE.

(Special to “Times.”) -i WELLINGTON, Aug. 29. W inle th© vote for the Government steamers was being; discussed in tlie House yesterday, sr r J. C. Thomson referred to a rumor that there were strained relations between the officers 011 le Amokura training ship. .. The Hon. J. A. Millar did not make any definite denial of tho rumor) but stated that anyone who was causing strained relations would find Ills relations with the ship very short indeed. Ho iaddod that tho work of the training ship, so far as it had gone, had been very satisfactory indeed, and that, after tho boys had undergone two years training the Union Company was quite prepared to employ them and they could then earn from £3 10s to £4 per mouth. Ho was not, however, going to have parents sending their boys there and then in twelve months after they had been disciplined taking them 'awav again. If they did that they would ■have to pay the expenses of tile boys. Ho proposes to bring in amending legislation in order that tho Govei’ninent might havo sufficient control 1“ Hie matter. At present the boys got; at first one penny per day, then 2d a day, if their conduct had been good, and afterwards ‘ld a day. The cost to the country of training tho boys was £BO per annum. The officers wore under great disabilities in training tho boys, because tho present vessel was much too small. The Government, however, had been endeavoring to get another man-of-war from the Imperial Government. The idea was to make her a depot ship to accommodate from 1/50 to 200 boys and to take those in batches and <nvo them tho necessary sea-training" on the Amokura. In such a sh;,, there would be room for a schoolmaster ff*bSr nt vesscl ° ould ° ni ?