SHANGHAI BOUND

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16705, 24 July 1928, Page 3

SHANGHAI BOUND

WHANGAPE AND KARORI CHINESE CREWS ARRIVE From Shanghai, said to have become the gayest city of the world, there arrived at Auckland by the Mamma 48 Chinese who are to ' be placed aboard the Whaugapc. which the Union N.S. Co. has sold, together with (he [yarori, lo Ihe Chinese Shipping "firm of Moller and Co., with headipiarlers at Shanghai. An extended life, of usefulness is predicted for these well-known cargo steamers. The Whaugapc is now being overhauled at Auckland and will shortly leave lor Samorindo, Borneo, to load logs for Shanghai. The Karori is at Wellington. The Marania also had on board Mr. Eric Moller, of the purchasing firm, who has come out, to attend to the business side of the transaction. With him itro Captain A. A. Mongol, who is to be master of the Whangape, and Messrs. A. Kerner and J, Heimnann, first and second mates respectively. These three officers are Esthoiiians. The Karon's Chinese crew have.already reached Wellington. A PIUITJRESQUE SETTING Grouped on the deck of the Maiama the arrivals from the Flowery Land in native garb made a picturesque setting, lounging and sitting about on deck enjoying the glorious sunshine. They look a. good natured lot of men and Captain Mcngel was cnlhusia.stic in his' praise of them as deck and engine room hands. "I have sailed with all these men before," tie said to a. Star representative. They are a line lot of lads to bandle--ohedient and easy to manage." "You may not know," he continued, "that it is no easy matter to engage a crew in China to come so far away from their homes. Every one of those men is married and has his own home. If this ■wore not so, they could not have been shipped, as the authorities

in Shanghai will not permit unmarried meu to leave, and those who receive the necessary permit have to assign all their belongings in China to the authorities as security for their return. If any of the men run away, then their property is estreated. "I certainly don't expect that any of my men will disappear, but one never knows." ENGINEERS WITHOUT TICKETS As to the engineers, Captain Mengel staled that they were all Chinamen; "You ask mo what about their tickets," ho remarked with a smile. "Well, that iloes not in!..lter much out on the China coa.st. We have good engineers, and the harbormaster gives them a, license. That does not mean that any man is allowed to lake charge of the engines, ft is an invariable rule that the men are qualified and have the necessary experience. "J have been trading in Chinese waters ior the last frur years," said the captain', in reply to a question, "but have never struck any trouble with pirates or with bandits, who nave been so venturesome recontJv owing to the unsettled state of politics, Others have not been as lucky. We certainly have labor 'hold-ups' at times, but as a rule they are quickly rectified. "Shanghai, I must say, was lucky not to have been looted about a year ago. It was just touch and go with us, and we may have had the same tragedy as was enacted at Nanking. The British Troops arrived just in time, and all trouble now, as far as Shanghai is concerned, has vanished, and most of the troops have gone."