FEMALE MARINER

Taranaki Daily News, 9 May 1930, Page 7

FEMALE MARINER

THIRD MATE ON VESSEL

.London, April 29

The captain of the Russian steamer Sibier will not leave tho bridge when

the third mate is on watch. Tho officer is a girl, Tatsiana Diechcncko, 29 years

“I will never be satisfied until I am commanding my own ship, trading all round the world, and visiting Australia and America,” said the girl, who is visiting London. She takes her watch at sea, and acts as purser in port. Tatsiana said she had been eight years at sea. She began as a stewardess, and had been mostly trading between Russia and England. She did not like the job of stewardess, which was too menial, so she sought deck work instead, and eventually qualified as an officer, Russian maritime laws allowing women equal rights with men. She said the chief mate of the Russian training sailing ship Tovarisch was also a woman.

The girl hopes to meet Jeanne Day, the Australian girl stowaway on the sailing ship Herzogin Cecilie. Jeanne has unsuccessfully sought seafaring work in London for two years.