RECORD PASSENGER LIST

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 6, 2 October 1937, Page 10

RECORD PASSENGER LIST

Monterey At Auckland

Dominion Special Service.

Auckland, October 1.

The war in China, with the consequent uncertainty in travelling, was said to be one of the causes for* the huge number of passengers carried by the Matson liner Monterey, which arrived at Auckland to-day from San Francisco. Of the 687 passengers, a record for the vessel, a large' number were New Zealanders and Australians returning from a lengthy visit to England for the Coronation celebrations. Others were Americans from the United States and Hawaii, who said they had chosen to come for a holiday here because of the confusion and attendant risks that were reigning in China. A number of these Americans, however, were glad that they had thus been given an excuse to visit New Zealand'and Australia. “It is an ill wind which blows no one any good,” said one, and his opinion was upheld by others.

Although much was said of the lack of knowledge possessed by many Americans about the Dominion, one of the passengers said that he had been told enough of the wonderful scenery and fishing of New Zealand to have always wanted to come here, and he had seized the opportunity of being a passenger on the Monterey so soon as he realised that going to the East would bo probably accompanied by chances it was no use taking when on holiday. In addition to her large number of passengers, the Monterey brought considerable cargo, the 1232 tons on board being the greatest carried by the Matson mall liner for some time. Part of it was 290 tons of Californian grapes, a quantity the proportions of which could be realised only when it was being discharged from the ship.