“LURE OF THE PACIFIC.”

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 November 1924, Page 12

“LURE OF THE PACIFIC.”

EXPEDITIONS LEAVING ENGLAND

The South Sea Islands have always been regarded as a novelist’s paradise, a kind of Arcadia where everything is quaint, beautiful and primitive, ana tc minds nourished on H. de Vere Stackpoole, Jack London, and Robert Louis -Stevenson the- South Pacific "has remained a world of eternal romance, where the influence of the West has but faintly intruded. There passed through Auckland by the last American steamer a gentleamn, Mr. Daf rough, who is the advance agent for. an adventurous party who expect to leave England within the course of a few months, en route to the South Sea Islands and New Zealand.

Speaking to a Star representative, Mr Darrough said that many expeditions were shortly leaving England for the South Seas, but the expedition de luxe was that of the 3000-ton motor! yacht Westward, commanded by Lieut.Commander Hollywed, which hoped to clear England within the course of a few weeks.

This finely appointed vessel was carrying with it some of the best known English sportsmen, who were making a ten months’ cruise of the South Pacific and New Zealand coast, returning to England via Suez and India, where she would conclude after a brief sojourn at ports en route. The Westward is at present- fitting out at Southampton, and is taking an extensive collection of all manner of weird and wonderful things. She has two motion picture cameras, is fitted with developing and dark ’room, has an arsenal that would put Paul Rainey to shame, and has also a “comfort” chest that would necessitate a. serious detour of the American prohibition ports. . “England is weary,” remarked Mr Darrough, when interviewed, “and the wet summer that has been experienced is only an added incentive for people to travel. Most of' the leisured classes of England find the usually stereotyped resorts beginning to pall. Deauville and Bianritz no longer appeal, whilst most English tourists have run the gamut of Continental watering-places, and are beginning to look afield for fresh worlds to- conquer.” ‘‘What are your immediate plans?” “I must confess that there are none. I am iust going to confirm the arranged itinerary by cable, and shall then join my party. We hope to do the Paumotus, Rarotonga, Morea, the Society Islands; Papeete, Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji, New Zeaalnd, and then we shall visit the northern islands, Solomons, etc.”

Continuing. Mr Darrough said that England was in a great turmoil resultant upon the unsettled state of Parliament. ‘We are all people akin in likes and dislikes, we have an abhorrence fcnr searching for collar studs, dressing for dinner, moriiing coats, and we shall just lapse into the primitive for the few months we may.” Mr Darrough remarked that the Westward should arrive in New Zealand somewhere about the beginning of February. ; , r . . ,