LATE PASSENGERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13625, 19 December 1907, Page 5

LATE PASSENGERS.

SOME AMUSING SCENES. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. There was a scene ot considerable excitement and merriment at the departure of the Maori for Lyttelton this evening. The usual late passenger arrived just as the steamer was leaving the wharf. He was accompanied by a bicycle and some luggage. Tlie officers demurred to taking him aboard, but on his showing nis ticket, relented. Lieutenant Shackleton, who was standing at the gangway saying goodbye to friends, assisted with the bicycle, and a policeman gave the late comer a leg up, to the accompaniment of cheers from the crowd on the wharf. Then a woman with a baby and portmanteau arrived. By this time the steamer was moving, buti the lady passenger was pushed up unceremoniously by willing hands, and made an undignified but successful ascent and descent over the rail to an accompaniment of laughter and further cheering. The baby was dealt with more gently by the policeman.

Finally a well-known Wellington resident who had tarried overlong on board was seen scrambling down on to the wharf. Behind him was a Christenurch lady, who naturally hesitated to emulate his acrobatic feat.

The boat wcut on amid shoute of laughter lrom the crowd, but the captain on learning the lady's plight chivalrously switched on the reversing turbine, and she managed, with the assistance of willing hands, to jump on to the wharf, whereat there was renewed cheering.