MAHENO MOVED FROM WHARF

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 46, 18 November 1925, Page 9

MAHENO MOVED FROM WHARF

CREW STILL SHORT PASSENGERS / DISAP- ' POINTED AGAIN Yesterday there appeared to be the best of prospects of the Maheno sailing for Sydney after five days’ delay. By 5 o’clock a complete crew had been signed on, and although some people were pessimistic, it was considered that the ship would sail some time during the evening. Her departure was fixed for 8 o’clock, and at that time all the passengers were either on board or on the wharf enar the ship. Although all was in preparation for the vessel to sail, many of the men were-missing. Up to 10 o’clock they continued to arrive singly and in small groups, all sober and unconcerned that they were late, but at that hour it was decided to await the latecomers in the stream, and fifteen minutes later the steamer moved away from the wharf to an anchorage. Just before the lines were let go a number of the crew left the ship, but did not state what their reasons for going ashore were. The Maheno was short chiefly in the stokehold, and during the night members of the ctew continued to arrive at the wharf to join their ship and were taken out in the Union Company’s tug Natone. Some said that thev’ had been to a dance, others that they had been asleep, or that thev had been out of town and forgotten’ about the ship sailing. At midnight the ship was in need of a large number of men, but she will sail for Sydney immediately they are procured. The Maheno still has the mail on board.

The delay in the sailing of the Maheno upset the plans of a good many of her intended passengers, in particular several who wished to .maike connection with steamers leaving Svdnev for London (which have been released owing to tlie collapse of the strike of British seamen). Among the passengers whose presence was urgently .needed in Svdnev were Air. Mavne Linton and Miss Nancve Stewart, of the Pauline Frederick Company.. Thev were cabled for when at Christchurch, but could not get away in time to catch the earli'i' steamer, and relied on the ATalieno getting them to Sydney yesterday.

In the meantime the passengers, with few exceptions, have been living on the Maheno. hoping from hour to hour that she would be able to leave.