“THE BIG SHIP”

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12075, 28 February 1925, Page 5

“THE BIG SHIP”

RAND9M JOTTINCS HEARD ON BOARD AND ON WHARF. INCIDENTS ON THE VOYAGE. ‘ ‘lf ever a fine British gentleman went to sea that man is Captain Crawford, one of the whitest men afloat, was the way in which a member" or the crew of the R.M.M.S. Aorangi described the captain of the vessel when talking to a “Times” reporter yesterday. . .- During a fight among some of the stewards on the voyage one of the contestants had all his front teeth knocked out. , . A feature of tile social life during the voyage were the fancy dress balls that were held. The dresstes and costumes worn were stated to have been magnificent. “LIKE A ‘LIZZIE’ ” Two men were arguing about the motive power of the vessel on the wharf yesterday morning. “Shes Striven by steam,” said one. “No, she ain’t,” replied) the other man, ‘ she s driven like a ‘Lizzie’ engine. Look, ho added indicating a bilge water hole near the stern, “that’s the exhaust. He was serious too A finely-appointed shop with a glass front that would look well in any of the Wellington city streets was a source of much' interest to visitors to the ship. The wares were temptingly arranged, and glancing at the display it was difficult to imagine that the shop was afloat and’ not ashore. Some people have little regard for good taste, and an episode duriug the visit of inspection to the vessel yesterday afternoon demonstrated this. A party of young women who, were ‘ ‘doing the rounds” had a penchant for opening cabin doors and. peering inside. One such door which they opened was hastily slammed to again. The occupant, an elderly gentleman, was at his ablutions and resented the intrusion on his privacy. Unperturbed at having the door slammed in their faces the young women continued on their way giggling over what they considered was a good joke. “What is it like to travel on the Aorangi?” remarked a saloon passenger in reply to a question. “Well it is an object lesson in the art of doing nothing and not heing bored in the prooeus. It is really too comfortable and will make me a little bit lazy,, I fear, when I land at Sydney.” THE GIANT—AND THE PIGMY!

To gain an accurate idea of the size of the Aorangi a visit to the bridge is necessary. This holiest of holies wa® desecrated yesterday by scores of landlubbers, hut the desecration was permitted for the occasion. Standing on the bridge the vessel seems to stretch, so to speak, far into the future, while astern it recedes far into the past. ■ A glance down from the heights to the wharf proves the adage that man ip. truly an insignificant mortal. Certainly a bird’s-eye view from the bridge makes the man below look very small. Although the largest motor ship in the world, the Aorangi is not the largest passenger vessel to visit Wellington. That distinction is held by the White Star liner Ceramic, of 18,000 tons, which has visited this port on three occasions.

It is admitted that the Aoraingi’s funnels are really superfluous, in that, being a motor-ship, they fulfil no practical purpose. This being so why funnels? This question when put to one of the officers of the vessel yesterday elicited the information that the ship was provided with funnels in deference to old traditions and public! sentiment.

“She could do without them,” he said, “but they give her a better appearance, and then again, you know what people are; they would look askance at a ship without them. It is all a matter of education.”