ON THE NIAGARA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 3

ON THE NIAGARA.

PASSENGERS FROM SYDNEY. MORE WRESTLERS ARRIVE. BABY'S AEROPLANE JOURNEY. Several hours late as the result of her delayed departure from Sydney, the Royal Mail steamer Niagara arrived at Auckland shortly after 10 o'clock this morning. The liner was scheduled to leave Sydney on Thursday afternoon, but, owing to' a number of intending passengers being held up through floods in the country, eho did not get away until early on Friday morning, eight hours behind time. On the run across the Tasman fine weather was experienced, but a cross sea caused the ship to roll a good deal. Besides a number of travellers who are booked for Suva. Honolulu and Vancouver, the Niagara brought 121 passengers for Auckland.

When the Niagara was entering the Hauniki Gulf, she sighted a fishing launch, which was flying a black flag and appeared to be in distress. In case help was needed Captain Hill decided to turn back, but when the liner got within a short distance of the launch one of the three fishermen signalled that the engine had been got going and that the launch was going to Kawau. It is believed that the launch was the Lorodine. Captain Crawford on Holiday. Among the passengers who landed at Auckland were Captain and Mrs. 11. Crawford, who are on a holiday visit. Captain Crawford was formerly master of the R.M.m.s. Aorangi. Mr. Robert Bell, of Christchurch, has spent two months' holiday in Australia, and is now bound for Honolulu. Later he will go to Mexico, via America. Speaking of conditions in Australia, he eaid that the average business man did not know what was going to happen next. Mr. G. W. W. MacKinnon, a London director of Broken Hill Proprietary, Ltd., is returning to England. He is accompanied by his daughter. Professional Wrestlers. Under the managership of Dr. R. Macqueen, two professional wrestlers, Sam Burmeister (14.0) and George Pencheff (13.12) have come to New Zealand looking for matches. Both men have been wrestling in Australia for three years. Burmeister is an Esthonian, and incidentally claims a world's record. He measures 21-iin round the neck, and has to have his shirts and collars made to order. Pencheff is a Bulgarian, and holds the championship of his own country and Persia, and Dr. Macqueen is willing to back him against any man of his weight in New Zealand. Joined Liner by Air Taxi. After two years on loan to the Royal Australian Navy, Lieut. F. B. Tours, accompanied by his wife and infant child, is returning to England. Owing to the serious floods between Melbourne and Sydney, Lieut. Tours thought that he might miss the liner, and decided to fly to Sydney. Accordingly, a six-passen-ger air taxi was engaged, two seats were taken out in order that the party might carry their 3201b of luggage, and the trip was made in 4£ hours instead of the 30 hours occupied by tho express. Mrs. Tours found a bumpy air trip rather trying, but the baby, who is only 11 months old, appeared thoroughly to enjoy its first flight. Sir W. Lennon Raws ; managing director of Imperial Chemical Industries (Australia and New Zealand), Limited, was a passenger to Auckland. He hosj come over to inquire into company i affairs, and intends to return by the Monowai in about a fortnight. Dr. F. Stephens, of Melbourne, has como over on a holiday visit. He is accompanied by his wife. "I know nothing about the Auckland project," said Mr. C. Hip well, constructional engineer for Dormen, Long, Limited, which firm has just completed the building of the Sydney bridge. Mr. L. Ennis, another engineer on the bridge, from the same c6nipany, has been in New Zealand recently to inquire about the advisability of building a bridge in Auckland. He said the time was ripe and that his firm would probably undertake the work. Mr. Hipwell was accompanied by his wife. ■ Among the passengers landing , at Auckland were Mr. A. A. Gaze, director of Pacific Phosphates, Ltd.; Mr. E. Joubcrt, French Consul in New Zealand; Mr. J. Griffiths, manager for the Peter Dawson-Mark Hambourg tour of New Zealand; Mr. A. Richardson, the Scottish pianist, who is accompanist for Mr. iDawson; Dr. and Mrs. A. B. S. Owen, of Sydney; Dr. and Mrs. Frank Stevens, of Melbourne. Mrs. G. W. Walling, wife of Archbishop Walling, accompanied by her son and daughter, are through passengers for Canada.