MARAMA DELAYED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18963, 10 March 1925, Page 8

MARAMA DELAYED.

SAILING THIS MORNING. CREW LATE IN JOINING. ]] FOUR SHORT AT MIDNIGHT.! The Marama was unable to Icava AuckanJ for Sydney last, evening owing to a shortage of stokehold hands. In consequence her departure was postponed until ten o'clock this morning. This is (he third time in succession that the Marama has been delayed by trouble with the crew. She was held up in Wellington for four days and then at Sydney for two days. This made the vessel well behind in her schedule, Sho was originally lime-tabled to leave Auckland last J'Yidav.

It was intended to despatch tha Marama at eleven o'clock last evening. Sixteen members of the crew wero paid off at, this port, twelve stokehold hands and four deck hands. Plenty of men were offering, and no difficulty was ex. perienced in obtaining 16 substitutes. However, in spite of the fact that, a full crew was secured it was freely rumoured the vessel would he delayed at the last minute, and that is what happened.

At .sailing time there were 270 pas« sengers on board and cargo work had been completed, but nine stokehold hands had not turned up. The stokers on board also refused to get up steam until the vessel obtained a full complement. At midnight (lie Marama was still four men short, and as there seemed nr> chance of the ves.-al getting away for some time the Union Company decided to postpone her departure until to-day.