STORMY VOYAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 47, 24 January 1939, Page 9

STORMY VOYAGE

hurricane in islands. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Jan. 23. Because of hurricane weather, the motor-ship Matua, which arrived at Auckland from tho islands this afternoon, had to leave the wharf at Suva last Wednesday and anchor in tho harbour lor two nights and a day till conditions moderated. Leaving 24 hours behind schedule, she encountered rough seas throughout the run to Auckland. Lato on Wednesday afternoon tho harbourmaster at Suva reported that a hurricane was advancing in a southwesterly direction from Taviuni, and the vessel was accordingly taken out to an anchorage. Throughout the night there were heavy squalls, which reached a climax about 4 a.m., when the barometer, which had been falling steadily, made a sudden drop to 29.02 in. It then began to rise and the weather was very thick, with incessant rain. There was no improvement during Thursday, but on Friday morning the vessel was berthed again and cleared for Auckland at noon.

Outside she met a very heavy confused sea, with tho wind east-north-east, and conditions wero stormy all the way to the New Zealand coast. It appeared from wireless weather reports that the hurricane passed south of Suva while tho Matua was in port, hut that after reaching Lautoka it travelled back again, causing exceptionally high winds at Suva on Saturday, the day after her departure. In spite of the rough weather, no damage was done aboard the vessel.