KUMARA NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 May 1925, Page 2

KUMARA NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent). KUMARA, May 9. Last Sunday Mr. Victor . Carmini,.. kflO'vtrf in. American as. the “WirelessAVizard/’ arrived in Kuniara, after an. extensive touf of the South Island, and put up at AVoods’ Theatre Roya Hotel. Needless to say Mr. Carmini, who travelled in a high-powered “Stutz” car, of luxurious style, the body of which-was paintdd in. black and white squares created a good deal of surprise and speculation amongst the inhabitants, who were anxious- to learn from whence the visitor Came, and the purport of his visit, and, it was not until your correspondent, who was among the crowd, plucked up sufficient courage to ask the new arrival for an inter-vieW-““Which. was immediately granted —when h© explained he had no designs upon the town, and was just on a pleasure trip, which explanation satisfied the crowd, who soon dispersed. Irt' the course of conversation, Mr. Carrriilh recalled many exciting experiences duSag the time o the war y he having beef! torpedoed and wrecked on no leas than four occasions. He was wireless opCi'Mor on . the first American ship to. b© shelled by the enemy craft. His next experience was on the China, when that vessel was shelled in the China Sea, at, the time the Emden was prowling about in those waters. Later he found a berth on the AVacouta, formerly the German liner Prinz AValdemar and it was not long before she was torpedoed and sunk. His last and most thrilling experience was on the AVar Knight, when she was torpedoed. The submarines shelled the, wireless cabin and Mr. Carmini/ Was seriously • wounded, having the muscles, of hisi left side blown completely away. After a considerable time in hospital, he went to Japan where he was inj charge of a wireless - station there, tvhen he was given credit for having been the means of saving the lives of hundreds of passengers by receiving the S.O.S. calls from. the Minnesota, and forwarding them on to Osezaki, when no other wireless station found it possible to do so, owing to the severe electrical disturbances in the air, and the peculiar land formation of the Coast of Japan where the, Minnesota was wrecked. Mr. Carmini, who left for Christchurch on AVednesday, is accompanied by his wife and is charmed with the scenery round about KUmara, and has expressed his intention of returning at no distant date. Mr. “Dick” Stone, a native of Hokitika, but now a resident of Sydney, paid a visit to his native town, recently, after an absence of 40 years. “Dick” after leaving Hokitika, made his way to AVestern Australia, and did well, and is now enjoying the fruits of his labour.

The annual balk in aid of the Kumara Medical Fund was held in the Memorial Hall last evening and proved a great success. The building was well filled, visitors being present from all parts of the district.