RAID OF THE WOLF

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 21 August 1926, Page 11

RAID OF THE WOLF

ACTIVITIES ROUND NEW ZEALAND

J N Ills story of the raider ‘‘Wolf,” Die skipper. Captain Norgor, says: Through the Indian Ocean' we sailed further south and round Australia, and spent several days in the souther - most part of the Tasman Sea and south of New Zealand to catch wheat and coal ships. We were in constant need of coal and greatly disappointed to And that the shipping of coal from Australia to South America had ceased on that route. After lying in those waters for several weeks without having sighted a single vessel we resumed our journey and sailed northwards round the Antipodes and Bounty Islands to the east of Cook Strait. Here, too, not a single boat was to be seen. From here wo made for Sunday Island, where I intended to have the engines overhauled. We anchored oil: the south-east coast in a small bay surrounded by cliffs ready for all emergencies, when in the north a steamer came in sight with its wireless installation clearly visible. Fearing that with its certainly greater speed it might escape and raise the alarm, I ordered the seaplane to drop a mailbag on board the vessel with instructions to head in our direction and not to attempt to make use of their wireless apparatus. Should they ignore these orders the vessel would h bombed, and to show that we were in ■earnest wo fired a shell across its bow. Their obedience was touching to sec. Without delay did they turn as ordered and throw the greater part of their wireless outfit overboard. The vessel turned out to be the New Zealand steamer Wairuna. On account of the, sea getting rough wo took our prize to a sheltered bight on the north coast of the island where we went alongside her, and for two days replenished our coal bunkers from her. She was carrying 3.150 tons of coal and was bound from New Zealand to San Francisco. The coal was most welcome, and so was

the rest of vhe cargo, 850 tons of fresh water, lisli, meat, milk ami cheese, the quantities of which were astonishing. According to the officers of the Wairuna the vessel was intended to go to England via the Panama Canal, and then to be left at the disposal of the British Government. Wo also found on board the vessel a herd of 40 sheep, which supplied the crew and the evergrowing number of prisoners with fresh meat.

Some of the prisoners of the Waiiiuia gave trouble in the beginning, and I saw myself compelled to discipline one of them. But by and by they calmed down and accepted the new order of things. The Wairuna proved a very- tough boat, and iu addition to bombs placed ou board we had to use our guns in order to dispatch her. The Wairuna was originally the Matoppo, and was built in 1904 by Buckuall Bros., being purchased by the Union Sliippiug Company in 1905. Her officers were: Captain H. C. Saunders; chief officer, Malcolm Mackenzie; chief engineer. A. S. Currie; steward, P. Coleman.