AN ANGRY COOK

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 141, 5 September 1927, Page 9

AN ANGRY COOK

‘ I COUNTA DA SPUD 5 ’ MAHENO’S POTATO EPISODE

When a shower of potatoes flew from the deck of the Maheno just as she was leaving Sydney for Auckland the crew’s cook, an Italian, got very annoyed. “You chucks da spud away,” he yelled, “I counta da spud, two and tree times.” The flight of the potatoes, which has already been recorded in the cable news, marked the end of the trouble before the vessel sailed. It was stated on Saturday morning that the potatoes were really aimed at the water police who were on the wharf, but one inoffensive vegetable struck the hat of one of the managerial staff of the Union Steam Ship Company. Even this did not appease the Italian cook. His language got bluer and bluer. “I know how many spud I got. Now you cliucka da spud away you won’t get any for tea.” And the mathematically-minded cook was true to his threat. That night some of the crew went without their “spud” for the evening meal. The potato-throwing episode arose from the fact that when four firemen, who had been brought to the ship by one of the officers, were going on board a Press photographer tried to photograph them. They knocked his camera on to the deck, and the water police made as though they would arrest the offenders. However, to save any further trouble no action was taken. As the ship was leaving some of the members of the crew shied the vegetables at the police on the wharf.