IMMIGRANTS ON MATAROA

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25517, 10 June 1948, Page 6

IMMIGRANTS ON MATAROA

LINER DUE TODAY AT LYTTELTON

FIRST VOYAGE AFTER REFIT “The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON, June 9. Making her first visit to New Zealand for seven years, the Shaw Saviii and Albion liner Mataroa, arrived at Wellington soon after 1 p.m. to-day ana berthed at Queen’s Wharf at 4 p.m. It was her maiden voyage after an extensive refit in which her accommodation for passengers, officers, and crew has been extended and modernSiie now has accommodation for 390 passengers, an increase of 180. An additional smoking lounge with bar has been provided at the after-end of the promenade deck and a second dining saloon has been added. Much of the interior panelling of the public rooms has been renewed. New captain’s quarters have been provided in the bridge structure She brought 381 passengers, ot whom 145 are Government-assisted. Thirteen of the latter are for the Post and Telegraph Department, including telephone and telegraph mechanicians, postmen, linesmen, and a cable jointer. The State Hydro-electric Department will receive 39, including 15 carpenters. For the engineering trades there are 44 immigrants; including eight boilermakers. There are a number of footwear operatives. Among the women are 32 nurse trainees, eight maternity nurse trainees, three mental hospital trainees, three trained nurses ana a physiotherapist. There is one typist. Recruiting of Nurses Stopped Among the other passengers is the Secretary of Labour and Director of Employment (Mr H. L. Bockett). He said that this would be one of the last parties of nurse trainees to arrive. Recruitment of this class of migrant had ceased as it had been found that the plan was not working as well as had been hoped. The Mataroa left Southampton on May 3 and made calls at Curacao and Colon, passing through the Panama Canal in daylight on May 19. In the canal a tropic storm of extreme severity was met. In the last four days of the voyage a strong southerly storm was encountered ana this delayed her arrival by some hours. Captain Stewart Oswald, who is making his first voyage in command of the ship, has been with the Shaw Savill Line since 1914. In the last 14 years he has commanded the Themistocles, Tairoa, Pakeha, Fordsdale, Coptic, and Tamaroa. The Mataroa arrived lightly loaded. Hfer cargo of about 3000 tons is for Lyttelton and Dunedin. She sailed for Lyttelto* to-night, after discharging North Island passengers’ luggage, and is due about midday to-morrow. She will return to Wellington for passengers before leaving for Australia on June 24 for her homeward loading.