STORMY WEATHER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13945, 3 July 1907, Page 5

STORMY WEATHER

ALLEGED HARDSHIPS OF PASSENGERS. '

(Per Tlsited Phess Association.) AUCKLAND, July 2.

Some account of a passage from Matakana on the coast north of Mahurangi during last week's storm is given by a correspondent in the Star. He writes: — "Twenty-five passengers, including women and children, had experiences which sleamship companies should endeavour to avoid in future. The s.s. Kotiti left Matakana on Tuesday, 25th, and was found Wednesday afternoon by s.s. Kapanni in proximity to' a reef and without sufficient power 1o 'orge ahead. The food bad run out on the Tuesday, and passengers were forced to go without meals on Wednesday. The company, it seems, are not providores, the steward* being solely responsible, and the passengers and crew had to suffer." The manager of the Settlers' S.S, Company (Mr J. Harrison) explained that the writer put ail exaggerated complexion on an incident due' entirely to exceptional weather conditions. The • Kotiti left Jlatakana wharf, he said, on Tuesday' morning last, and owing to thick weather setting in, the vessel got aground. She floated off at 5 p.m., when the trip to Auckland was resumed. The Kotiti was in no danger. She had passed the reef, and was hugging tho shore to escape the fury of the gale. The steward could hardly be expected to have two days' provisions for a trip which was expected to occupy only five hours; •