MONOWAI EXCURSIONISTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 July 1936, Page 6

MONOWAI EXCURSIONISTS

THRILLS DURING VOYAGE.

[per press association.]

AUCKLAND. July 22.

Gay with bunting, and decks lined by 320 happy excursionists wearing leis, cocoanut mats, and brandishing native spears, the Monowai returned to Auckland this morning, after fifteen days' cruise to Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji. Many passengers received a rude shock when they found that their souvenirs of baskets, toys, and mats were subject to Customs duties, ranging from 30 per cent, dowm to 3 per cent., also that fruit had to be passed’ by an inspector. The voyage was not. without romantic interest, two prospective brides being met at Suva by their future husbands, the marriages taking place at Suva. While crossing the lawn outside the Grand Pacific, Suva, a man walked over tin, edge into three feet of sea., but was unhurt.

Off Tin Can Island, a. record mail of 14,000 letters was dropped in biscuit tins into waiting canoes, and the natives demonstrated the former method of swimming with tins containing mails. Race meetings were held at Apia and Suva, the warship Dunedin being al. Suva. Visits were also made to Ukualofa, Vavan, Levuka, and a call off Pago Pago. The ship's entertainments included a Father Neptune ceremony, also a movie star quest ball, and as a climax a funcv dress ball.