CREW OF THE MATUNGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17111, 17 March 1919, Page 5

CREW OF THE MATUNGA.

GRATITUDE TO THE COMPANY. [from 00» OWN correspondent.] SYDNEY, March 7. Twenty-six officers and members of the crew of the Burns, Philp steamer Matunga returned to Sydney this week. Nearly two years ago the ship was captured by the German raider Wolf, and the people aboard wore taken to Germany. The dependants of the crew, most of whom were married men, were left in a most unenviable position. The owners of the Matunga, however, made allowances to all the dependants, and these payments went on during all the time the men were prisoners. With the signing of tho armistice, the Matunga contingent was released, and on their arrival the Burns, Philp, Company gave them a formal welcome home. In the course of the proceedings it was stated that the company had paid out no less than £11,000 in wages and allowances since the Matunra was lost. The crew received wages all the time from the disappearance of the Matunga to the moment they landed again in Sydney. The 26 men drew £3900 the day after they arrived. In addition, the company sent £500 to the Red Cross in london, to be expended on food parcels for the men while they were prisoners, and at Christmas it presented each wife, rated as a dependant, with £10 and each child with £2. ' The men concerned are loud in their expressions of gratitude to the. company.