LINER AORANGI REACHES PORT AFTER ROUGH TRIP

Grey River Argus, 24 August 1948, Page 2

LINER AORANGI REACHES PORT AFTER ROUGH TRIP

AUCKLAND, Aug. 23. With its new white topsides gleaming and buntino- fluttering aloft, the Aorangi sailed into port this morning, reconditioned after wartime service which began in 1940 when she Landed the first contingent of New Zealand troops in Fiji. Hooters from the shore marked Auckland’s welcome to an old friend making her re-entry into the ’ Van-couver-Sydney service. She will sail to-morrow morning. '■ Reconditioning has reduced the passenger accommodation from 636 to 486/ allowing travellers more space and comfort. The main conversational topic was the fact that the Australian pound is worth only 15s 9d here. The gale experienced by . the Aorangi was not taken very seriously by the passengers, deck games having continued throughout the trip. An official luncheon was held aboard to-day. Gales raged in the Tasman Sea over the week-end, and many ships received severe buffetings. One of the affected vessels was the liner Aorangi, which sent a radio message on Saturday night that the vessel would not arrive at Auckland before 10 a.m. unless the weather moderated, but a further message Last night said she would enter port at 8 a.m. The Australian troopship, Westralia, which left Auckland for Sydney on Thursday encountered a gale about 300 miles from the Australian coast on Saturday night. The Union Company motor-ship Kopua, which left Auckland for Grafton, New South Wales, on Thursday, reported rough conditions yesterday morning. Boisterous conditions were experienced by the Auckland-bound Tasman Empire Airways flying-boat from Sydney on Saturday.