ORION'S DEPARTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 259, 1 November 1937, Page 9

ORION'S DEPARTURE.

TOURISTS AT ROTORUA. Tlie first short summer cruise ship of the season, the Orient liner Orion, ended her visit to Auckland at midnight on Saturday when she sailed for Wellington. She carried many of her tourists hut several parties will rejoin the ship at Wellington after excursions overland. The Orion leaves the southern port at seven o'clock this evening for Sydney. Owing to the brevity of the liner's visit, tourists who arrived by the Orion from Australia on Friday had very little time for shopping in Auckland, and it was a rush visit for those who went further afield. One Auckland taxi company sent 20 cars to the wharf when the liner berthed, but there was very little taxi business offering, the majority of the 800 passengers being ready to come ashore and start on the various trips arranged by the Tourist Department. One hundred and fifty of the passengers made a one-day trip to"Rotorua by rail, and another hundred went by car. Other parties went to Wairakei and Waitomo, and some of the tourists continued on to Wellington to rejoin the liner there.

On their return from Rotorua several tourists said that, although their stay was all too brief, the visit was well worth while, and they were greatly impressed with the thermal attractions.