Letting Down King and Country, Says Speaker at Annual Meeting of Mission; Rent Too High Shanghai, Apr. 19. CATHING criticism of the action of the committee of the Missions to Seamen in Shanghai in vacating premises in the Union Building, Canton Road, because payment of $1,000 a month as rental was considered not justified, was forthcoming from many supporters of the Missions at the annual meeting of that body held in the, Church House, Kiangse Road, yesterday evening.
The urgent need fe 'a mission was stressed and it was pointed out that both members of the Royal and Merchant navies.were being driven on the streets} by the con ued absence of a building.in which they could escape the many temptations offered in a city such as this.
Dean A. C. S, Trivett presided at the meeting and he was supported by the Rev. F. W. Weaver, Chaplain, Mr. I. E. Roberts, hon, treasurer; and Mr. R. T. Sampson, hon. secretary.
In his remarks the Rev. F. W. Weaver emphasized, at the outset, that they were without a mission. the Committee's report it had. been mentioned that entertainment facili-les had been offered at the Church House but this, he stated, was just a misleading statement, similar to. that which appeared in the "North-China Daily News" as a footnote to a letter from the ship's company of the s. Beharon March 18 which stated that the Missions to Scamen - were Rot closing down, but were merely vacating the quarters at 17 Canton Road and would, in future, operate from the Church' House.
"Those "of you who know the Church House will readily appreciate how utterly impossible it would be to entertain seamen even if it were free," Mr. Weaver continued. After quoting various activities during the Week at the Church House, he added "There does not seem very much time for entertaining seamen,—besides Despite a letter which he had sent all members of the committee begging them to reconsider the resolution and to appeal to the subscribers with a view to collecting the additional money, he received answer. Another otter, he said, which asked for a further meeting of the committee, was ignored.
Crew's "Disappointment Referring to decision of the com-itea not to use the Hanbury Institute but to continue the work of the Missions from the Church House, Mr. Weaver stated that this arrangement was most unsatisfactory. "Seamen are not a bunch of Sunday school children, who will come here and go there' at one's command," hho added, when referring to the great disappointment expressed by mem-libers of the crew of the s. Narkunda that there was no mission. "Tam very sorry to say that the action taken in closing the mission means that the men and boys of the Mer= chant Navy are being given on the street all for the sake of about $7,000
"Again 1 think it is only fair to the subscribers and to those who are interested in the Missions to have the full facts of why there is no mission explained to them. I was informed by the Union Insurance Ca. of Canton three days before Christmas that they: had a tenant, who was willing to pay the full rental, and. that unless we could pay the same—$1,000 a month—we should have to vacate at the end of March."
He then referred to an emergency meeting of the committee which had been called and at which it was de-elded that a rental of $1,000 a month was not justified. At this meeting, Mr, Weaver stated, he was asked to make enquiries from various agents in order to find new premises, he alone dissenting against the decision a yeat Mr. Weaver added, "I repeat that by giving up Canton Road, the work of the mission 's practically Anished. Tt seems regrettable that, this should happen at a time when li the world is speaking in admira~ tion of the men of the Merchant Navy. To me it seems most_unpatriotic and, while we are all talking of doing war work, I cannot conceive of any war work more worth while than that to provide place for rest and recreation for our seafaring brethren and endeavour fo save them from. the many temptations which exist in Shang hal," He concluded by quoting words of admiration for the men of the Merchant Navy uttered by the Earl of Athlone, "Shanghai's answer Race Course on Aprit guard of honour for Col. H. Casseling for France this week.
Upper photo to this is the work is not worth ity" he said.
'Speaking' as a member of the Harbour Lights Guild, Mrs. Weaver referred to the many temptations which beset seafaring men in Shang hal. Many of them present at the meeting, she said, no doubt spent from $80 to $100 in a night club for one night's entertainment and yet the mission had been closed because the rent was (oe high.
"We are leifing our King and Country down," she continued, and the referred (0 the fact that some of them were Knitting scarves and socks, probably, with a view to getting their names in print, If any
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