WORLD CRUISE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 38, 14 February 1935, Page 5

WORLD CRUISE.

R.M.S. FRANCONIA 225 TOURISTS ABOARD. AUCKLAND ON FEBRUARY 23. The Cunard's J?oyal Mail liner Franeonia will arrive at Auckland on Saturday, February*2.3, in the course of her tour round the world with a party of 225 tourists. , The cruise began at New York on January 12 and the ship will return to that port on May 31 after an absence of 140 days. During that time 37,070 miles will have been covered. The itinerary includes visits to Jamaica, Panama Canal, San Pedro, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Papeete, Rarotonga (where the liner is to-day), Apia, Suva, Auckland, Wellington, Sydney, Port Moresby, Decca, East Indies, Straits Settlement, India, Ceylon, East African coaet, Durban, Capetown, west coast of South America and Montevideo. The liner will arrive at Suva on Tuesday and at Auckland at seven o'clock on Saturday morning, February 23l She will sail for Wellington at 7 p.m. on Monday, February 25, and leave Wellington for Sydney on Thursday, February 28 at 6 p.m. Complete arrangements have been made by Messrs. Thomas Cook and Sons for the tourists to visit all of the principal resorte between Auckland and Wellington during the six days they are in New Zealand. A special train will leave Auckland at nine o'clock on Saturday morning, arriving at Kotorua at 2.40 p.m. Motor cars will meet the train, and visits will be paid to Whakarewarewa and other places. There will be a Maori concert in the evening. On Sunday Tikitere and the five lakes, also Hongi's Track, will be visited. The train will return to Auckland at 0.5.5 p.m. On .Monday the suburbs of Auck-

land will be visited, including Titirarigi. These excursions are provided as part of the cruise. An alternative provides for a motor tour through the North Island, visiting Kotorua, Wairakei, Waitomo, National Park, Wanganui and Wellington. It is estimated that the expense of providing special trains and accommodation, including the sum spent personally by the tourists, will be in the vicinity of £12,000.