WANGANELLA GREW

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30230, 7 September 1963, Page 13

WANGANELLA GREW

Departure By Air Today

Twenty-nine Chinese members of the Wanganella’s crew, who reached Christchurch by bus late last night, said they would have become confirmed fishermen if'they had stayed in Deep Cove, Doubtful Sound, another week. A 20-year-old motorman, Lau Shu Sum, said that he caught more big fish from the Wanganella’s decks and portholes than foe ship’s chief cook, Poon Choy, and his assistant, Pun Yu Hei, could possibly cope with. Lau Shu Sum. said that the only regret he and his companions would have when they left Christchurch by air for Sydney today, on the way to Hong Kong, would be the good fishing attractions of Deep Cove. Chin Ka Lun, the captain’s steward, was one crew member who found little time for fishing In his eight days in Deep Cove. “I was so busy preparing and cleaning up after parties,” he said. The chief cook, Poon Choy, said proudly: "Everybody eat my best lobster moyannaise; Poon Choy’s supreme chicken: everybody like Poon Choy’s Hong Kong sweet and sour pork. Everyone eat. everyone drink. "I had 17 cooks working under my command when we had all the passengers on board,” he said. “At the end, there was only me and my friend Pun Yu Hei.” The 29 Chinese, and nine Australian officers from the Wangsnella, reached Christchurch at 11.15 p.m. yesterday after a 460-mile, 12-hour bus ride from Te Arnau. They brought with them about 3$ tons of baggage, including all their cabin trappings ranging from ukuleles and transistor radio-players to fishing lines and bags of laundry.