N.Z. man behind ‘paradise’ on mutiny island

Press, 19 August 1982, Page 3

N.Z. man behind ‘paradise’ on mutiny island

PA Wellington A Royal New Zealand Navy supply officer is ;organising French cuisine and British bar service on an Indian Ocean island paradise wracked by ah army mutiny. Lieutenant-Commander i; Ken Mutch, aged 42, of Bel'mont, Auckland, serving in H.M.N.Z.S. 'Waikato, ,is reported to have organised the Coral Strand Hotel, Bkm from the capital of Victoria in the Seychelle Islands, into a “mini-paradise.” When guests at the hotel were subjected to a 24-hour curfew imposed by rebel soldiers, Lieutenant-Com-mander Mutch organised five members of the staff and 117 guests to run the hotel. A British businessman, Mr Maurice Root-Reid, said the guests were now “marooned in a mini-paradise. The .British have taken over the bars and the French are running the kitchens and catering.

“The chef is a Parisian master chef, Henry Gauchard, from the restaurant Chez Simonne, Paris, on holi-

day with his wife. The food cannot be better with swordfish steaks, sailfish, and other local treats.”

The curfew is. keeping local island people from their hotel jobs. A spokesman at defence headquarters said that Lieutenant-Commander Mutch had flown to the Seychelles some days ago from Sri Lanka to act as the liaison officer for the Waikato, due for a three-day visit.

He said that it was believed the ship was heading for the Seychelles on a courtesy visit as part of her routine with the British Navy task force in the Indian Ocean. Lieutenant-Commander Mutch was well qualified for the job, said Lieutenant-Com-mander G. Power.

“He is a pretty resourceful character. I am sure he would handle himself well. As supply officer in the ship he is used to having cooks and stewards under his. control; making sure that sailors are well fed and paid,” he said.

Rebels’ demands, page 8