THE MARAMA DELAYED.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 305, 21 December 1912, Page 10

THE MARAMA DELAYED.

BY DESERTING FIREMEN. I LEAVES TEX HOURS LATE. I . The Canadian-Australasian Royal Mail steamer Marama was or'ginaUy set down | to leave Auckland for "Vancouver, but ' through the defection of three members of the stokehold staff she was unable ; to leave till 9.30 this morning—over six- ' teen hours late. The Marama this'trip is taking an exceptionally large shipment of New Zealand butter to Canada, and iv consequence it was found necessary j' to fix her departure for 10 p.m. yester- j day. However, loading was not completed ( by that hour, but by 3 a.m. the vessel was ready for sea. It was then found that two trimmers and a fireman, who I had been on board an hour previously, had taken all their personal belongings and deserted, presumably because they objected to spending tho festive Chrislmas season on the deck. The rest of the stokehold hands immediately decided that they would not go to sea without the full complement, and efforts were made forthwith to get others, the Marama, going out into the stream about 6 a.m., having left some of her officers ashore to attempt to get men for tho vacancies. The aid of the water police and of Mr. Grant, manager of the Sailors' Homel was invoked, but eventually it was found necessary to transfer men from the j Mokoia do the Mirama, which put to spa about 9.30. No diseatzsfacMon was expressed by the deserters during the past few days, and Captain Roils was at a. I loss to understand ;be cause of their departure from tho vessel. The delay of a Royal Mai] steamer is a se.ious matter, and in this instance it may mean that the mail connections will be disarranged