DEPARTURE OF THE WAIKARE.

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 4, 5 January 1900, Page 5

DEPARTURE OF THE WAIKARE.

The Union Steam Ship Company's steamer Waikare left the Queen's Wharf yesterday afternoon laden with pleasureseekers bound for the Sounds of the West Coast. Although the excursion began yesterday, something like one hundred excursionists joined the vessel at Melbourne and Sydney. Not only all the colonies, but distant parts of tne earth contributed tourists. There were on board Professor Boehm, of Trieburg (Germany) ; our one-time Commandant, Colonel Cautley (after whom Fort Cautley is named), from London ; Mr. and Mrs. Colenso, of Hythe (Southampton) ; Mr. C. W. Dilke, son of Sir Charles Dilke, the well-known British statesman ; Mr. John Hayes, from Lancashire ; Herr H. Herzfelder, of Germany ; the Misses Peel, a trio, from Torquay ; Mrs. Foreman and Canon Franklyn, from Guernsey ; and many others. The wealth oi Australia is represented by Mr. West-Jey-Hall, of Melbourne, who is known as the Mount Morgan millionaire ; Mr. Thomas Skene, of Armidale, a wealthy Victorian squatter ; and Messrs. Felton and Grimwade, well-known Melbourne merchants. Australian beauties and so- I ciety leaders find distinguished representatives in Mrs. Clenhall, of Sydney, who I is accompanied by her husband, Mr. David Clenhall, a leader at the Victorian Bar ; Miss Akroyd-Stuart, also of Sydney; Mrs. Balls-Headley, Mrs. Grice, and Miss J. Lempriere, of Melbourne, Other distinguished visitors include Mrs. Hickman Molesworth, wife of a Victorian legislator; Mr. Justice Holroyd, of Melbourne ; Mr. Arch. Currie, jun:, and Miss L. Carrie, members of the wellknown shipping family of Melbourne, and Mr. Currie, a Camberdown (Victoria) squatter, who is accompanied by Mrs. Currie. Mr. Peel, the artist, whose NewZealand landscapes have won fame, is also a passenger and holds special commissions for sketches of the beauty spots to be visited. Journalism has its representative in Mr. J. P. Dowling, editor of the Sydney Mail. About thirty passengers joined the Waikare at Wellington, and just before the hour of departure many interested groups gathered round the pan of the cable, the queries going round with merry laughter— "Are you a pink?" or "Are you a green V" (these being the distinguishing colours by which excursionists were to find their place at table). Tourists who are at present "doing" the South Island are to join the s»hip at Lyttelton, Port Chalmers, or the Bluff, and on Tuesday next the sight-seeing proper will begin with a visit to Stewart's Island; thence round the West Coast. Pelorus Sound is expected to be reached on the 24th inst., and the return to Wellington made on the following day. Yesterday the crowd of people en the wharf looked with longing eyes upon their more favoured fellows as the Waikare began her trip, but the aeartiest greetings were exchanged, and amid waving 'kerchiefs and "Hope you'll enjoy yourself!" and "Bon voyage!" the good ship, commanded by Captain Richardson, sailed away with her merry pleasure-seek-ers. Since her last excursion the Waikare has been painted and decorated anew, and every improvement, both on deck and below, has been effected that will tend to the comfort and enjoyment of excursionists, for whom the whole of the ship's space has been specially arranged. Shady awnings have been fitted to keep out the rays of the sun when they shine too strongly, and extra strong canvases have been prepared ns guards against storms. As a handbook of preparation for the beauty spots to be seen, the company has issued to each passenger a copy of a beautifully illustrated brochure, the descriptive text being from the pen of Mr. Malcolm Ross, and the pictures from the pencil of ivlr. R. Hawcridge. Another booklet distributed on board contains directions for the voyage, an itinerary of the trip, and names of passengers.