LURE OF THE PACIFIC

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3615, 25 November 1924, Page 7

LURE OF THE PACIFIC

AN ADVENTUROUS PARTY NEW ZEALAND INCLUDED.

The Sbuth Sea Islands have always been regarded as a novelist’s paradise (says the Auckland ‘Star’), a kind of Arcadia, where everything is quaint, beautiful, and primitive, and to minds nourished on 11. De Vere Stacpoole, Jack London, and Robert Louis Stevenson the South Pacific has re mained 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 gentleman (Mr Darrough) 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, hut the expedition de luxe waa that of the 3,000-ton motor yacht Westward, commanded by Lieutenant-com-mander 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 on an extensive collection of all manner of weird and wonderful things. She has two mo-tion-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 Biarritz no longer appeal, rvhile 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 just 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 Zealand, and then we shall visit the northern islands, Solomons, etc ” Continuing, Mr Darrough said : “Wc are all people akin in likes and dislikes: we have an abhorrence of searching for collar studs, dressing for dinner, morning coats, and we shall just lapse into the primitive for the few months we mav.”

Mr Darrough remarked that the West ward should arrive in New Zealand some where about the beginning of February.