Ferry crew thanked

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33521, 30 April 1974, Page 14

Ferry crew thanked

Passengers disembarked from the Aramoana in Wellington last evening full of praise for the ship's crew after the ordeal at sea during the week-end storm, the Press Association reports. During the voyage from Lyttelton to Wellington, a delegation representing the 55 passengers who remained with the ship on its return, met the crew in the ship’s cafeteria.

They sang “For They Are Jolly "Good Fellows,” and made speeches to thank the

crew for their assistance during the 28-hour nightmare voyage from Picton to Wellington and back to Lyttelton.

Two of the five passengers taken from the Aramoana on Sunday are still in hospital.

i Mrs Elaine Little, of 33 Caens Road, Panmure, is in Christchurch Hospital in a fairly comfortable condition after suffering rib and spleen injuries in a fall. Mrs Anne Strickett,- aged 70, of St Arnaud, Nelson, who suffered a stroke, is in a satisfactory condition in Princess Margaret Hospital.

When the Aramoana sailed from Lyttelton at 9.15 a.m yesterday only a few people watched her go. They included the Railways district traffic manager (Mr A. D. Campbell). There were only 55 passengers aboard — all of them original members of the pas-' senger list. Another 100 travelled north by the Rangatira on Sunday evening, when a bus-load left for Picton.

i The passengers who left by the Aramoana yesterday morning had been accommodated in Christchurch hotels, at the expense of the Railways, Mr Campbell said. The Aramoana will stay in. Wellington today for its usual maintenance day, and will continue the inter-island run until going to the dry dock for survey in June.