WRECK OF THE WAIKARE.

Evening Star, Issue 22229, 6 January 1936, Page 8

WRECK OF THE WAIKARE.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —In your issue of Saturday an article appears on the wreck of the Waikare by “ Excursionist.” Well, I don’t know who your contributor might be, but he doesn’t seem to have a kind word for the Waikare firemen; in fact, the only fireman he mentions in his article is one that he saw stealing a diamond shirt, stud. How did he know it was a fireman? Ho seems to have been better acquainted with the officers and engineers Does “ Excursionist ” know that of the loyal band who volunteered to go with Second Mate Appleyard for assistance the majority were firemen? Dose “Excursionist” know that it was the firemen who started to clear a place on the island with the assistance of other members of the crew to make a place for the lady passengers to lie down and rest? “ Excursionist ” bestows great praise on Second Engineer M'Arthur for sticking to his post till the last, till the water reached his shoulders. So did the three firemen and two trimmers on watch in the stokehold, and so did Third Engineer West and myself until ordered up on deck by Chief Engineer Hick3’e. We had to cut away a boom from the boat davits before we could launch the last lifeboat lef, and it was a fireman who had to climb out on the davits to cut the boom away. “ Excursionist ” mentions the risk attached ni going to Puysegur lighthouse for assistance. Well, sir, let me inform him of a fact of \ which I think he is ignorant, and that is this; that when the Waikare struck that uncharted rock they ceased to be members of the Waikare’s crew, as thier pay stopped. In this instance the Union Company gave the crew two extra days’ pay. I hope if “ Excursionist ” is unfortunate enough to be shipwrecked again he will be on a windjammer. They don’t carry firemen.—l am, etc., J. Hoark, Late Fireman, s.s. Waikare. January 6.