THE MATAROA

Evening Star, Issue 22271, 24 February 1936, Page 12

THE MATAROA

STORMS ENCOUNTERED A ROUGH VOYAGE Since the Shaw, Savill, and Albion cabin class ship Mataroa, which is at present berthed at Port Chalmers, left Southampton for New Zealand ports, she has encountered a great deal of stormy weather. Two severe storms were faced on the voyage to the Dominion. while at both Wellington and Bluff violent and gusty winds accompanied by blinding rain prevented the ship from berthing. The vessel was expected to reach Bluff on the tide at 6 a.m. but because of the wind it was not considered advisable to attempt to berth the 12.000-ton vessel. She sought the shelter of Stewart Island, and as conditions had not improved 12 hours later it was decided to spend another night at sea. The liner left Southampton on December 28 for Auckland and had to battle against westerly 'and north-west-erly winds for the first five days out. The gale reached its height on New Year’s Eve, when a huge sea stove in several windows on the starboard side of the saloon deck and the ports of some of the engineers’ cabins. Another sea lifted two of the starboard lifeboats out of their chocks.

Fine weather was experienced for the rest of the voyage until Saturday, February 1, when the wind began to freshen from the north-east in the afternoon. Heavy rain also fell. The Mataroa was expected to pick up the light on Cuvier Island at 8.45 on Saturday night. The vessel ran the distance and as no light was seen the course was altered and the ship slowly steamed out to sea again. The wreck' of the Federal Line steamer Wiltshire, which had failed to pick up Cuvier light, was a reminder of the dangers of entering the Hauraki Gulf in thick weather. The wind increased to hurricane force and veered from east to north and from north to north-west. With visibility limited from one to one and a-half miles, the Mataroa was bove-to off the coast. Motor cars in boxes were stowed on the deck fore and aft, and as a precaution additional lashings were put on to make them fast. This work was accomplished with considerable difficulty by the officers and crew at great danger.^ The manner in which Captain A. M'lntosh, commander of the vessel, and his officers manoeuvred the Mataroa in the heavy seas was praised by the passengers, most of whom were seasoned travellers. Considering the weather, the Mataroa took very little water on board. Cuvier light was picked up at 5 o’clock on the Sunday afternoon, and the vessel anchored in the stream on the Tuesday. - When the vessel left Auckland she proceeded down the coast to Wellington There she was unable to berth owing to the weather. Along with the Otranto, which was on a pleasure trip from Australia, and the Monowai, the vessel was bold up in tbs stream by the high wind.