MARAMA’S PACIFIC CRUISE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22352, 28 August 1934, Page 10

MARAMA’S PACIFIC CRUISE

/VISITS TO MAJOR 'GROUPS - ■, A-. shipload 1 of * happy -passengers returned to Auckland last’ Wednesday by the • Union' Company’s steamer Mararjm. delighted t with their 15- days’ cruise, among some of the more enchanting islands' of .the Pacific. To most of the' 240 passengers who left Auckland by ..the; vessel on. August - 7 a visit .to the Pacific islands entirely new and interesting, experience, apd many were so enthralled the beauty of the places seen and the , charm of the native inhabitants .that' they expressed- a desire to repeat the trip next year, ; when , a further is :prom- - Favourable weather conditions were encountered for. ■ the most part, and the escape - from the wintry conditions prevailing in -New. Zealand during. August to the warmth and colour of r tropic'seas alone made the trip. worth-while. ; There, was general -agreement that the Union Company, and its officers had dona all possible, to provide suitable entertainmerit throughout'the voyage. FIRST PORT OF CiLL. Passengers settled dowri to the routine of the ship on the voyage from Auckland to Suva, where most of them had their first experience of the tropics. There, was much to interest, them , in Suva, visiting the .Indian, curio shops, observing the native and Indian , life motoring through wonderful rich vegetation and along the banks of surprisingly wide rivers, swimming or playing lawn tennis, golf or bowls. An “ Islands Night Entertainment ” on " the lawns Of the palatial _ Grand Pacific Hotel, followed by a 'dance, was' greatly approciated. ; • j * -i i . s It was at ’Levuka, the next* port, of call, that the Visitors saw the Meke, or native war daricey which proved to be a thrilling affair, the striking dressy of the native warriors, the splendid physique of the men, of their dancing 1 and marcliing and. the aweinspiring war gestures combining to make a memorable /. picture. ,i 'Visit^_ to places of interest and beauty completed a very full morning at Levuka. On the journey between Levuka and Apia a strong herid wind was encountered which kept, the ship back; and it was not until the eighth day but from Auckland that the’Maranmanchored in the Apia roadstead,, opposite the shell of the German warship Adler, wrecked in the groat ' hurricane of nearly 50 years ago. ■ ■ >■* '] “TIN CAN ISLAND.’” ' > ; When midway between Levuka and Apia a call, was made■at Niuafoou, -.or “ Tin Can Island,” for the purpose of landing the Tin Can Mail. This mail, consisting of' about 3600 letters from all parts of the Dominion n and. some from passengers, was placed in soldered tins and dropped in the. sea ! or‘ lowered into tiny canoes. A continuous launch service was provided between; the'ship and shore at' Apia, and passengers .took full advantage of the opportunity to visit places of interest, while in the evening an open-air exhibition of native dancing, and a.’ kava drinking .ceremony were given at Mulinuu.’ i The - Marama then headed ' south to. Vavau, the most northerly section of the Tongan group; Two hours , were spent at,. Neiafu, the , town and port of this island,, and practically all the passengers then embarked in - launches for a bath-* ing picnic at; a well-kept native village. After lunch a visit was to -the famous Swallows’. - Cave, • which was generally considered well-worth .going so far to see. This was, described; by a passenger as- a:place of entrancing beauty, its mighty dome, its gorgeously coloured stalactites and flutings, the' numerous swallows’ nests; the. coolness and sweetness of the air and the ever-changing

play of light, arid shade making it seem almost unreal., \So large> the cave that ten, of the VBjip’si boats i and launches were in it at ope time.

'ROUND OF AMUSEMENTS. J . •. Late in, : 'the,- afternoon, ~_tKe .ilarima ’passed through-.the. Leading ‘for Ntiktialofa,' the; 'capital: of Tonga, where sKe beitted next mofiiirig, -Saturday, August’ 1&', Jay 'proved :to Jje.i/a- / bfnj.iaM,v one arid • were made -to the ‘-tombs l '' 6V fhe ,Tiutoflgai of ’sacred kings,: giant trilithon; or Haamunga, 'a» 'wriFas/'tp the • spectacular 1 blowholes aridthe’Wdod of'-the Flying Foxes'., In the afternoon the visitors were entertained with, native daniiihg and-ainging.; The’ Maramri- left Nukualofa last Sunday morning for Auckland, Pylstaart/the last' South' Sea : island, ' ice-peaked- and :.• bare-Ippking, being, passed; at 1-p.m. . , rThroughout the cruise there : wa's’a complete sports, entertainments and competitions on shipboard, well diversified arid admirably managed. The most brilliant function was the ■ fancy dress dinner . and ball held on Monday evening, when . the public rooms arid deck space’ were lavishly decorated. Mrs D.:. ;A. : fSoldie;, of . jiucklaud, arid Mrs C. A. Pennirigton, of Sydney. aeted as judges, arid; were, giyeri a hard’tksk, i® choosing among so many: v W»«tifril, original and amusing costumes.’ :On thb list evening of the pruise the 5 prizes for the various competitions were presented by Captain 6. B, Morgan on the enclosed after deck, .which had -been used -for dancing throughout; the voyage. After the presentation of prizes. Mu CA A. Pennington, of Sydney, on behalf of- the passengers, ‘ thanked. Captain Morgan, : the ’officers arid- members of the: cre\v for their’ efforts to .ensure the comfort and entertainment of the passengers.