STRANDED PASSENGERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10810, 28 January 1921, Page 5

STRANDED PASSENGERS

NEiW ZEALANDERS IN SYDNEY. CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT AGENTS. FIB PRESS - ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, January 27. Three hundred passengers who have been held up in Australia on of the stewards’ strike arrived at Auckland fro mSyttney by the Tofua this morning. Owing to the demand on the accommodation all the available apace that could be utilised for sleeping purposes was pressed into use, and temporary berths were erected in the ship’s holds. The popular note of the male passengers to whom they were assigned seemed to go in favour of these as regards - comrort. The smokerooms and even passages were made use of as sleeping places. Despite the crowded condition of affairs the trip from Sydney was a very happy one. The weather was perfectly fine and the time was passed with various pastimes. Speaking of the conditions in Sydney, one of the passengers, who arrowed by the Tofua said the agents of the New Zealand Government seemed unable to properly deal with the position that had aisen, and there were many immigrants waiting to come to Neiw Zeeland yert. In the case of the Tofua, these officials appeared to know nothing regarding -the number of berths avanlaible. So far as can ibe gathered from other sources it appears that beyond the anxierty and vexation caused by the delay, stranded passengers have had no great hardship to complain of. There was a Strong feeling of good fellowship amongst them, and they did Whait they could to help each other.