ANTIPODES ISLAND.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9113, 12 June 1908, Page 5

ANTIPODES ISLAND.

CONDITION OF STORES DEPOT. STATEMENT BY CAPTAIN NOEL. Received June 11, 9.7 a.m. SYDNEY, June 11. Captain Noel, of the French ship President Felix Faure, which was wrecked at Antipodes Island, takes strong exception to the comments made as to the condition of the stores depot at the island when left by the crew of his vessel. Dealing with the statement of the reporter who accompanied the Hineinoa on her visit to the island, Captain Noel says his own account of the wreck was in no way exaggerated. He declared that he left behind eleven large tins of beef brought from his own ship, and nine small tins belonging to the depot. The clothing was never used as described. He carefully opened the case and made a distribution, reserving three suits in tho event of being compelled to winter on the island. As to the allegation that the cooking utensils were in a filthy condition, the captain explains that the Pegasus arrived while a meal was in progress, and the shipwrecked men hurried on board, in the rush forgetting to clean up. It was owing to everything being kept clean that the crew enjoyed such good health. After every meal the cooking vessels were washed in abundance of hot water. Owing to heavy rain and the men having to sleep on wet straw the blankets at the depot got very dirty, ai.d they were unable to either wash or dry them. Fish was not abundant, as alleged. Heavy seas prevented their making decent catches, and only two were left in the hut. Captain Noel added that the matches found at the depot were useless, arid the biscuits weevily.