"ME NO SAILING."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 139, 14 June 1929, Page 8

"ME NO SAILING."

A CHINAMAN'S PROTEST. NEARLY A TRIP TO SYDNEY. ULIMAROA PUTS BACK.

A Chinaman who "overstayed his leave" was in trouble this morning, but not at the Police Court. It happened on the waterfront, and as a result the Ulimaroa was half-an-liour late in her sailing for Sydney.

Five minutes after the Ferry Building clock had struck the hour before midday the Ulimaroa was ready to sail. Passengers and mails were on board, while the customary search for stowaways had been carried out an hour before. There order from the officer at the head of the gangway, and the gangway was lowered. Lines were cast off and the Ulimaroa rapidly gathered way, parting hundreds of coloured paper streamers as she widened the gap between 6hip and wharf. Handkerchiefs and hats were waved, and there were the usual shouts of "Good trip" and a dozen and one other messages of farewell. The scene was more than usually gay as the Ulimaroa's passenger list was a heavy one, the travellers including the members of a theatrical company and the Australian University football team. A song by the departing students drew a long cheer from their friends on shore.

Faces soon change when a steamer is moving away from her berth and itwas only a matter of minutes before the crowd left behind began to wend their way citywards. Then came the surprise. No sooner was the steamer's stern clear of the wharf than her propellers ceased to churn up the harbour. The ship's telegraph tinkled and it was seen that the vessel was coming astern. Soon she was back level with the wharf again. "Have a good trip?" hailed a wag on shore and the sally raised a good laugh.

Speculation as to the cause of the steamer's return was rife. There were rumours that one of the passengers was wanted by the police, and the presence of a couple of constables seemed to lend truth to this theory.

Then the correct reason of the delay became known. An aged Chinaman, who had gone on board to say good-bye to nine of his countrymen who were returning to their homeland, had delayed his leave-taking too long and had suddenly become aware of the fact that the ship was taking him away from his market garden in Auckland. The Oriental wasted no time. At once he made his plight known. "Me not going," he told an officer. What the officer said is not recorded, but there was only one thing to do —the Chinaman had to be put on shore.

Slowly the steamer was brought back to the wharf. A rope was hung over the side and the old Chinaman, his face wreathed in smiles, stood ready to get ashore. When the Celestial was told that it was time to act his smiles vanished. Not over confidently lie grasped the rope and lowered himself down the steamer's side. When his feet felt the wharf his smiles returned.

Again the engine room telegraph rang and again the steamer moved out into the harbour. There was one less soul on board, and one more on shore.