MATUA TOSSED BY HEAVY SEAS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 259, 31 July 1939, Page 10

MATUA TOSSED BY HEAVY SEAS

Stormy Islands Voyage RETURN TO AUCKLAND DELAYED By Telegraph —Press Association AUCKLAND, July 30. Battling into a terrific south-westerly storm which whipped the Pacific into a" mighty torrent, the Matua experienced what her officers described as the worst trip in living memory on her return voyage last week from Rarotonga. Showing no outward signs of her tiding trip, tlie vessel arrived at Auckland on Saturday morning, being a day late, and many of her 30 passengers breathed a sigh of relief and had their first meal for many days. Actually, it was a stormy voyage throughout the round trip lasting a fortnight. The ship was unable to put into some of the island ports and passengers could not be landed because of a heavy ocean swell making the hazardous entry through coral reefs even more so. However, it was often brilliantly sunnv and the full fury of the storm did not lash the ship till she was heading back to Auckland from Rarotonga. Often the wind reached hurricane force. The ship was tossed mercilessly and waves broke continuously over her bows. The decks were awash for days at a time and water frequently crashed up to the height of the bridge, where the helmsman had an unenviable task. Speed was reduced for short intervals during the worst hours of the storm, when the ship was pitching so badly that the propeller was periodically exposed and shook the ship from end to end. ' The trip from Rarotonga usually takes the Matua about four days and a half. On this occasion it took her five days, five hours. No damage to the ship was reported by Captain Prosser, who said everything had been securely battened down when the storm threat was fully realized. None "of the crew suffered,* but only a small percentage of tlie passengers were ever seen outside their cabins.

' The ship’s chapter of misfortune included a fall by one of its passengers on the outward voyage. The victim received injuries to his ribs necessitating a period of convalescence at Rarotonga before rejoining the Matua for the return voyage.