TRAVELLERS' TRIBULATIONS.

Grey River Argus, 1 August 1903, Page 4

TRAVELLERS' TRIBULATIONS.

Sorrows of People ArrivingrljtjyJ , JSteamers. - c > 4

(N. Z: Times July 24th 19,0?.) A saloon passenger from Sydney by the Moeraki yesterday writos.on'' I:the.1 :the. above sabjectin the following s» rajn. :— -■ Every inducement is being olTered by New Zetland to attract viaiiori from other parts of the world, aud ifi may be of interest to many to know how they are ti-eated on arrival.' The

'- Moeraki' arriveti in Wellington ! ;at 8.2{V l aim. tto^day (Thursday) and anchored off the w harf . In an : up*to-date placo like : ' Wellington the iSealth ! Officer cwld have been warned from the signal ' station, and could have been 'alongside as soon ,as; the -ship w«s at anchor, {butj no, my lord_ must finish his breakfast in- comfor^. : : He. is not paid to; hurry himself ' iri-^this^democratic country , : Some time after nine he pub in appear* ance and then the fun .began. The performance for Ihe next three hours ■vras worthy of- a-paritomimies. ! -■ , c>'-l ; ; u First of all everybody marched into the smoking-room and was inspected: From th^re he descended to tbe; saloon :■ or elsewhere and^ received a" certificate ■ or license to leaVe ; the l ßhip| and notice i to report biiDself the next day to the Health Office, andT afterwards tp local ddctors4n whatever part of the colony r he may hHppen to, be. . So^ferj co quod. ; All ;the ; . luggage, had then to-be ' opened, papers, etc.,* exposed and a boy , with a ; bucket and a man wU>h a "iliosb aud^pray went from cabin. ;to cabin pumping fq mal.ine .'rin, to . t)\e top- layer .of jeVery package. .What-a farce i Hpw,' the germs under thajt;. suit; of soiled , pyjamas or old;«hirt:(carefully put on top), must, laugh; and ,Bh^4e! ' Borne passengers carefully used the sheets off their bunks, and, iq facf, Aqythiug to prevent their valued belongings being- i sprayed. wNothingr.w.as done to. -the cldthe-i%eopl'3 were wearing. Pre^uoa-;ably;th*-re were no bacilliibn them. Next cauie. all the baggage in: the hold. ' The same idiotic proceeding was r.carried on here. , i. : t ; ■ •> :/■••. -cAt last the captain- was told 'he could go alongside, which, lie promptly did. Of cdur?e the reader. wilt : think. tliat all .the -trouble had now ended, but in reality the I worst had toj conat?. First of- ; al f, no one was 'allowed to leave the ship, although a license bad v ..been given an- hour before. At last ;ihe -^word go was given, ; . and jin-the. pouring rain, howling ; t-outhe rly, |the [Mssengers- trooped down to get porters and. engage cabs.; To their horlror they found no porfcers were allowed, and -worse than rail, that :they! could not get back: for; their luggage. E^ecy man, woman and ; child had to c^rry bis *nd her Q)t a baggage, small arid big, right along the wharf to ihetfarend of. the Custom house, and 'the officials blankly refused to-open a side* door in (he^same Customhouse sd as to facilitate matters. It was. nojb Qhty ; farcical, but ? cruel. Several [male. ■ passengers helped the.; Indies, but )bhe > work iq i the :raini3 : with> everything wet, was awful. To sho-w theifolly of it — /directly the; Customs had inspected, as many porters as one wanted were available. The '. :-w.b'6le"-i transaction can^be summed upiathe word— Farcical. > If; reports>go abroad that such treatment is meted out to people they will tour in more civilised countries. (