EN ROUTE TO GERMANY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17234, 9 August 1919, Page 8

EN ROUTE TO GERMANY.

PRISONERS ON • WILL'OCHRA

" INCLINED TO BE INSOLENT."

WHISKY STILLS DISCOVEEED. [BY TEIiEGEAPH.—OWN CORBESPONDENT.] DUNEDIN. Friday. An officer on the Willochra, which vessel was engaged fay the Government to transport the German prisoners to Germany, writes interestingly from Durban, under date June 20, of incidents on the voyage. He says inter alia —

" It has been a fairly good trip, with the exception of two days,' the 7th and Bth. We had to heave-to all day on the 7th, ae it was so rough, and we did roll to it. The prisoners have behaved themselves quite well so far, though some of them are inclined to be insolent, and would soon kick over the traces if given the opportunity.

"They have been distilling whisky on the boat. We got one of the stills, which was quite a well-made affair, made out of stuff they had picked up on the boat. They raided the stiKe too soon, as they did not get the chaps who wen? running them. The whisky is a vile brand, judging by the smell, though one of the officers says he has tasted worse in Egypt. I have a bottle of it that I am keeping as a . memento. We carry out raids at all sorts of odd hours, but without luck so far, as it is so easy to hide things on a boat.

" The funniest thing on this boat, to my mind, is to see our officers having mess each night with a German orchestra playing for them. We have three lote, a stringed orchestra, a band, and then a couple, one of whom plays the piano and the other a violin, and they all take it in turns. They are quite good, and it certainly does make things livelier. " The other boat that is with us carrying Germans has had a very rough spin. She has all the wives and children aboard. Influenza started, and they had 15 deaths. We got the news by wireless when she was sending news through to Durban.