HUMBUG OR HERO.

NZ Truth, Issue 105, 22 June 1907, Page 5

HUMBUG OR HERO.

DIVER HUGHES AND THE

HONOR.

The Truth About His Bravery.

Others Did the Hardest Work.

,The rescue of the Italian miner Varischetti from a perilous position m one of the flooded dives of the Westralia mine, at Bonnievale, outside Coolgardie, Western Australia, was, as everybody knows, the Subject of universal acclaana<td!on. The hero of the occasion was Diver Hughes, and the < fact that Hughes is either a native of New Zealand, or had spent a considerable time of his life m this colony, made his heroic doings all the more pleasing to those of this colony. The rescues, 'however, like most other extraordinary events, only became a 9 days' wonder, though the fact that Diver Hughes, with much affectation of modesty, refused an offer to go out on £how, it is very apparent that the : diver loves the limelight, because he, was ' feted and made much of m Western Australia, and presented with tokens of recognition of his bravery wherever he w&it. This, however, does not seem to have been 'all. For we find' that Hughes .h l as-Ji^pr^4idiiiJ^£_Aus±ralia; > -'and m, every city he has been welcomed by the civic authorities, arid made ,the lion, of the .hour. Moreover, having become a. hero, Hughes, according to all accounts, is turning his heroism to gpod , use. ■ In a word, he has found that, heroism pays, and Hughes is after all the honor and glory he can get, though the latest about the diver is certainly inconsistent • with the. character "of hero. Now for a little history.. On the news of the flood : at Bmi'ni'eMaie and the position of Varisofoetti becoming known, divers were sent for.. Hughes, who it is /understood was at one time a professional diver, went to Bonnievale. In diving 'practice it is_ outside All v etiquette of the , profession for one' diver, especially the man engaged . for the job, to loan another his suit and gear. ' ' •.: , HUGHES HAD NO GEAR. But it so happened that the Government had engaged the divers, Messrs Curtis and Hearne, and that Diver Curtis was, . m diving parlance, '%os-s of the yob." It" also happened that the 200 ft of prpe. necessary for the occasion, belonged to the Government. As Hughes, was acqiuainted with the 'h'earininrs . of the mine, Mr Crabbe, the official 'representative of the Government, asked that a diver's suit should he given Hushes, and the request was acceded to. The result, is ; as everybody knows, Hughes descended the shaft and made his way to the Italian, and it is admitted that Diver Hearne did all the heavy work m taking the; provisions down the direct drop through the water m the : shaft, while Curtis had to stay on top . and supervise— see another man -take- his suit, and by the merjest accident get the glory there was S attached to the rescue. The rescue j having been effected, arid ; Hughes bej coming the popular hero, it, was najtural;that there should lie .talk of subscriptions and presentations. The names of, Curtis ' and Hearne were mentioned, iii connection with the ' 'hero ;"; :l 'but ; the-;very~unf ail 4 - ■ sta-te-inents; were made that . Curtis had not soiled Ms liancls, \ and : thai Hearue had made a mess 6f. things, and that neither should get a cut of the proceeds . Hughes more than anybody knew how unfair and how untruthful those statements were, nevertheless, he was not manly enough to nail these lies. If anything, his subsequent conduct was such! to indicate that .he was m sympathy with the wretched 'and untruthful statements. He was the hero, and he. therefore deteMned to allow anyone ;t6 share the honors with him. Subscriptions came . m readily. At Boulder it was decided that Curtis acid Hearne,; who hod come, up from the Coast a distance of neary 500 miles to assist m the rescue, and Hughes should receive an equal amount. A committee, of leading citizens was formed, and they worked with a will, but when the method of distribution w£s intimated to the hero he at once asserted that he would do his best

TO SPOIL THE DEMONSTRAV TION, that he would not be present, and that if he could possibly manage it ' there would not be many assisting m it. A '•denionS'tratiOTi 1 ' was held, and Hughes, like a hero, wont away from 'the fields before it 'was held,, and did not. even apologise to the citizens' committee or the civic authorities, and the public who assembled to do him honor. The contributions were better than the committee expected, and Hughes' share was a very fine' civic testimonial, m itself worth all the rest of the honors as far 1 as money was.concerned, and £11 9s. m cash, the balance being distributed among the men who had not only helped Hughes to "glory," biit also had given up their own chances of being the principals m. the rescue/ This £11 odd was next sent on to .Hughes, who was being lionised m Brisbane, and sometime after the secretary of the Boulder. Bpnionstration Concerts, on behalf' of Diver ; Hughes; etc., received; from W. Atkins, secretary of the' Brisbane Benevolent Society, an mr tarnation that the £11 Os ha<l be-;n received by Hughes and had by him been ■handed over for distribution among the poor of Brisbane. Hughes the hero,

A CLAY-FOOTED HERO he . is described on the Westralian goldfields, seems io lie a shockingly

norant person, as he did not have the courtesy xv ;i^Jto./liJiige the, receipt of the £11 odd. As a hero the diver man i.s cutting a rather strange figure. Heroes are generally manly fellows, modest yet courageous, ever * ready to minimise their brave deeds, and cv- j er willing to give to those who rendered assistance a full share of what- ! ever honor and glory there is attached to bravery. It seems that the v Hughes bubble has burst. Certainly he acted bravely, but there were others on the scene of the disaster who were only too willing to sacrifice, if necessary, their lives to ! save the entombed miner. "Truth" does not know whether -the Bonnie-, vale "hero" is to include New Zealand m his grand trumphal tour, but I if he floes intend to "exhibit" himself m tJicse parts, it will be just as we!J that everybody should know .the .truth of matters. '