Lite Frank Andrews.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 December 1922, Page 3

Lite Frank Andrews.

A reviewer in an feast Coast paper says: - - Mr Andrews’s career was highly ronSmt'ic. Passing mention is made of his break on the vaudeville stage, but the full story is one of interest. After a slay of nine months at Honolulu. whole his silver boll jig was always in demand. Mr Andrews was induced to take up work in a # tannery at Hilo, where the big volcano of the group plays night and day. Irom there lie went to Maui in the Sandwich Islands to learn the sugar boiling business, but as he was offered only ten dollars a month to boil sugar, decided to return to Now Zealand. lie shipped in the Auckland schooner Son Breeze, hound to Starhurk Island for glia no, hut there the schooner was wrecked and the crow wore marooned on the island. This put them in » sorrv plight, lor the only water on Starbuek Island was distinctly brackish. A fortnight of it laid everyone up with dysentery. In this situation. Air Andrews and the ship's cook swam out to the wreck ami secured a cask of cool Auckland spring water, which was duly hauled ashore with a hawser. 'I nis

undoubtedly saved the lives of all concerned. Suhscqiu-nily the brig Afoa called and carried the party to Afelhom lit*. Air Andrews took the first steamer back to Nov Zealand. and later turned up at Grcyinouth, where liis brother was Collector of Customs, and as fortunes were then being made as by magic. Air Andrews was determined to see whether lie could make liis. He wandered from one digging to another for seven years. One day when he was “humping his bluey" across an old loopline in South Westlaud lie met a big burly man who hailed him: “AVliere bound, mate. Where's your tent and ridge poles?” This, in tho parlance 'of the diggings was “What's your address?" Andrews said he was from the south and he was down and out. The man. wAo proved to ho Richard John Seddon (afterwards Prime Afitiister of New Zealand) showed practical sympathy at onc-c by offering him a job on a bosh section at Kumara, but Andrews said he would first try Hokitika. After taking a job as warder nr S'eaeliff Asylum, lie bethought him of his West Coast friend, and deserting the service once more, he soon found hinTself installed as book-keeper to Air Seddon. who was then doing a lueratiee business as mining advocate and agent Later he joined tho Public AVorks Department, and from that liis real career in the Government Service commenced. FI is son, formerly secretary to Air AV. A. Holman, ex-Prime Alinister of New South AValcs is now in the New Zealand Postal Dennrtment.