CRUISE LINER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 299, 17 December 1937, Page 8

CRUISE LINER.

STRATHAIRD IN PORT.

OVER 600 PASSENGERS.

TOURS OF NORTH ISLAND.

Third cruise fliip of the season, the P. and O. liner Strathaird arrived at Auckland this morning from Brisbane and other Australian porte, with 627 passengers, of whom 68 were booked to disembark at Auckland and Wellington. The vessel remains in port until eleven o'clock to-morrow night, when she leaves for Wellington in continuation of her New Zealand itinerary.

Anxious to make the most of the brief visit to the Dominion, the tourists lost no time in getting ashore. Motor cars were waiting to take them on tours to various part* of the North Island during the next three days. Those who were not making the overland trip to Wellington were taken to see points of interest around the city, suburbs and country districts. Colourful Landscape. As the majority were on their first visit to the Dominion, they were up early this morning to get a first view of the coast as the liner steamed in towards the sheltered waters of the gulf. Jn calm seas, with only a lazy swell and an almost cloudless sky, the scene was one to impress those who have been accustomed to the Australian landscape. Green slopes and occasional glimpses of pohutukawas in flower made a colourful contrast as the vessel approached port.

Following the usual practice with large vessels on summer cruises, the Strathaird was not delayed in the stream, but turned immediately in to her berth at Prince's wharf, where inanv in the large crowd were waiting to welcome friends. | Well-appointed Ship. j "I admired your war memorial," was the smiling remark of Captain J. M. M. Ticket!, who said that although the Strathaird had been at Auckland previously it was the firet occasion on which he had been in this part of the world. Immaculately dressed, and looking comfortably cool in his spacious eabin, he said the trip across the Tasman had* been pleasant. He revealed a *natural pride in his ship and her many appointments for the comfort and convenience of tourists.

Having the modern characteristics of raked bow and streamlined tridge, the Strathaird gave the impression of size and majesty as the pilot brought her alongside the wharf. With the lines of a great white steam yacht surmounted by three buff funnels, and with her brick red forefoot barely rippling the harbour waters, she came into her "berth with the grace and ease of a vessel a fraction her size. Splasheß of colour were seen here and there as turbanned and overalled lascars worked on her forecastle or stood bv landing ports. Prominent Passengers. Pi ominent among those who were making the round trip were Colonel R. J. Wilkinson, ah Indian Army officer and Colonel Taylor Waters. Those landing in New Zealand included Mr. T. Butler, manager of the National Cash Register Cbmpany, of Wellington, Mr. • H. Quilliam, a well-known barrister, of New Plymouth, Mr. H. Shaw Savill', of the Shaw Savill and Albion Line, and Messrs. A. E. Hugo, M. Fraser, C. H. Howarth, C. Humphrey, and W. G. Stevens, for Wellington.

. The majority of those to disembark in the Dominion were women and children, and there was a similar preponderance among the cruise passengers. It was Irtirned that 50 per cent of the passengers on tour were from Fremantle or porta beyond, and about 250 had joined the vessel at Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.