Mean green machines

[Glenn Baker]

Yeh therewas certainly some bright sparks around on the Coast, The Mad Doctor from Auckland Lambchops from Lyttleton John Bigstick from Wiaheke Island cant think how he got that name another one was the Pelican, I think his real name was Les Bennet, Ronnie Black was in the Auckland Union Office with Len Anderson Ghandi was the Union man in Dunedin. One ship was stuck up in dispute over a Mouse being found on board, the Skipper said it was the same mouse from an earlier dispute , the Union delegate declared the colour of the Mouse,s eyes ere different so the ship stayed alongside. Plenty of Compo jobs were around flying back to NZ from Sydney. One Union meeting I went too some one yelled out to the Delegate your Late Anderson, he yelled back was your Father a Copper, all from the Microphone. best wishes Glenn

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Glen.
When I was there Walsh was President in Wellington, when he died he was replaced by Pincher Martin, Les barber was Wellington Sec. With Walsh's demise they challenged Anderson in Auckland, and Steve Black took over and I think from memory a bloke called Rogers ended up assistant Sec. I think Davy Harkness was there for a time untill he went walking delegate on the Auckland wharf. as you say Tom martin was in Lyttleton for about 25years.
And Ghandi was in Dunedin. Walsh was going to take my book off me. I was delegate on the Waipori and held her up in Sydney, as one of her davits had collapsed and the boat was lashed down on the hatch, wanted us to sail to Kembla, she would roll on wet grass. The Shipping master in Wellington agreed with us about not sailing, Walsh couldn't do anything but told me to go back to Auckland. I'm sure I was at that meeting in Auckland that you mentioned where someone yelled out to Anderson. Wild old days but great.
Cheers Des

[Bob Petty]

Kanna.
Kawatiri.
Koromiko, twice.
Waimatie, twice.
Time on coast, 11-1963 02-65.
Shipped back to UK on the Piako 25-02-65.
Came close to getting a D/R don't think the Mate liked me.
Tone of the relation ship set, when clearing Wellington I asked for the stool, where upon he informed me that this was not the coast, my reply mores the pity.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

ref post#13

Hi Bob.
You must have started on the coast 12 months before I packed it in, last ship Karu paid off 16/4/64 Auckland. I had forggoten that we had the high stool to sit on when steering, brought back some memories.
Cheers Des

[Allan Jeffery]

Paul,I remember that trip for the Worlds Fair. We had taken a prize bull complete with "stockman" for the NZ pavillion.
I was on the Carnatic and Ronnie was on the "buoys" with us..an all white "crane job"
Didnt you rescue the crew off a Kawasaki ship that sank off the coast,the Aotearoa had a beautiful "Geisha" doll in the mess room ( I think) presented by the All Nippon Seamans union??

[Paul J Burke]

Yes Ajay, i can recall you and Duncan Montgomery coming onboard the Aotearoa in Tokyo on the buoys. Did you get to the "World Expo' at all ??? We saw it 3 times as we were back in Osaka every 6 wks or so.Yes, we rescued the crew from the Dai-ichi Chuo Kaisen Kaisha vessel "California Maru' a 70, 000 ton bulkie , which sank laden with iron ore. She was pounding into heavy seas and holed some tanks fwd, and gradually sank.We got there "just in time" to lower our lifeboat, a very risky exercise in itself in a raging gale, with big seas as well.We landed the crew in Yokohama, and we arrived to a "media frenzy' and featured on all T. V channels that night.Yes, the whole crew were presented with Japanese dolls in glass cases in Tokyo from memory, ive still got mine!!! Cheers. Paul

[Davey Caton]

Hi Taff
I was on the Waipori early 60s Joe Hodge or Jack Mcdougle Bo-son me & the Menace used to get on the piss together
Davey Caton

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Davy.
Sorry I'm so late in answering I have just left NZ for the second time now living in Cooma Australia.
I will get bavck to you when I set up my Coimp
Cheers Des

[Bob Petty]

Kawatiri.
01-64 03-64
Great Days.

[len mazza]

Hi,
I did a few watchmens jobs on the above in New Plymouth.

Read your your stories of old times with pleasure.Amongst the Union brass of those days ,where was Jimmy Woods in the pecking order.I remember crossing words with him in the Breakwater,and was told later
that was end of my chances of shipping out.

Cheers, Len.