DISPOSAL OF THE IRIS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 20 February 1931, Page 4

DISPOSAL OF THE IRIS

SEVERAL OFFICERS RETIRING WARTIME INCIDENT RECALLED Owing to the intended disposal of the Pacific Cable Board’s steamer Iris arrangements have been made for the master, Captain H. R. Hughes, and a number of officers to retire at the end of this month (states the “New Zealand Herald”). Eighteen members of the permanent staff will retire, including the following officers:—Chief engineer, Mr J. D. Fleming; purser, Mr R. Bannister; cable foreman, Mr J. Bookham; and chief jointer, Mr J. King. All have 28 years’ service with the Cable Board. Until further arrangements have been made regarding the future movements of the Iris the remaining 14 members of the permanent staff will remain on board under the charge of Mr W. Oliver, the chief officer.

The Iris is a twin-screw vessel of 2258 tons, and was built at Glasgow ill 1902 for cable-laying work. She was first commissioned in 1903 and during the whole of her career she has been stationed at Auckland, the sole protector of 15,000 miles of cable in the Pacific Ocean. The most interesting incident in the career of the Iris occurred when she was despatched with an armed force to capture Count Von Luckner when he escaped from the internment camp at Motuihi Island, during the Great War. Count Von Luckner and a number of other prisoners of war escaped from Motuihi Island in the Government launch on 13th December, 1917. The following day they seized the scow Moa in the Bay of Plenty, and then set a course for the South Sea Islands. >

The capture was observed by the crew of another scow, which immediately put into a Bay of Plenty port and reported the matter. As soon as the news reached • Auckland arrangements were made to despatch the Iris in pursuit of the Moa. Owing to the Moa having very few provisions on board for such a large party it was thought that Count Von Luckner would make for the Kermadec Islands and replenish his food supply by raiding the food depots for castaways on the islands. The Iris made all speed to the Kermadecs, and when she was nearing the group the Moa was sighted. When Count Von Luckner and his men observed the armed force on the Iris, in addition to a gun on her deck, he surrendered without any trouble, and was brought back to Auckland.