THE CREW IN DUNEDIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 33

THE CREW IN DUNEDIN.

Shortly after noon it was announced that the castaways, or most of them, had left Milton, and were, speeding along by the midday express to Dunedm, and < heShipwreck Relief Society busied itself with preparations for the men's comfort. li speaks well for our Anglo-Saxon courtesy, and for the maintenance of l'entente ccrdiale, that Ihe French sailors were given a very hearty welcome by a fair-sized crowd, and wore made by the officers of the Shipwreck Relief Society to feel very much at homo in an extremely short space of time. The members of the society who met the men were Messrs F. 0. Bridgman (who also acted on behalf of the French Consul, Mr P. C. Neill), E. D. Grace (secretary), and .1. A. Park. The«e gentlemen were assisted by Messrs C. W. Hairis and Thomas Harland. who possess a sound knowledge of the French language, and were- invaluable a*, interpreters. The sailors, numbering 21 in all, proved to be Bretons of the ordinary seafaring type. In age they ranged from boys in their toens to shaggy-bearded men of well past middle age. Standing in little groups on the railway platform, they chatted volubly together, and seemed to be by no means overcome by their recent terrifying experience. The first mate, M. Guihu. has a small stodc of English, upon which he made hea-vy calls in his efforts to return the politeness of the members of the Shipwreck Relief Society. Each sailor has his kit — a roughly-sewn bag stuffed with articles of clothing and the knick-knacks dear to the nautical heart, — which he shouldered, and balanced with one hand whilst carrying a pair of heavy sea bootb in the other hand, and, thus laden, tho crew made their way to the end of the platform, where expresses were in waiting to convey them and their belongings to various coffee palaces. Before they were free to make a move in the direction of the lodgings provided by the Shipwreck Relief Society, however, the eailors had to face the ordeal of being photographed, and. seated on their kits, which came in handy for the purpose, they made a picturesque group. This over, a hatch of eight sailors was drivpn to the Ship Restaurant, the second batch of eight to the Federal Coffee Palace, and the remainder to the Leviathan.

Mr Bridgman, acting French Consul in Mr P. C. Neill's absence on the West Coast, informed our reporter that he was cabling to the owners of the vessel, the Societo dcs Voilliers Fraucais, whose headquarters w-re in Paris, for instructions.

1 He had also telegraphed to the Consulgeneral in Auckland, M. Boeufve, and had received a reply from that gentleman, instructing him in the event of the Marguerite Mirabaud being condemned to send tha crew to Melbourne in care of the French Consul there. "In the meantime," added ' Mr Bridgman, " I am having a survey made. This will be done at once." Too much praise cannot be accorded Mr CJilberfc Scott, of Milton, who hastened to ■ the wreck at Akatore on Sunday night, I and, on behalf of the Shipwreck Relief , Society, made preparations for the crew I being transferred in drags to Milton, for their breakfasting and lodging there, and; thence for their safe conveyance by rail to i Dunedin.