MAUI POMARE IS DAMAGED IN STORM

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19269, 5 January 1931, Page 5

MAUI POMARE IS DAMAGED IN STORM

BATTERED BY HEAVY SEAS ON ISLAND TRIP

i The Government motor-ship Maui * Pomare arrived at Lyttelton this morri- ) mg lrom Niue Island, showing signs of . the battering she received off Apia on ) the nights of December 23 and 24. , during the hurricane experienced at the islands. Several two-inch stan- ’ chions on her bow were twisted, while ’ some of the heavy awning spars were smashed like matchwood. * The vessel's trip to Niue Island and ’ Apia from Auckland was made in fine weather. She arrived at Apia on the morning of December 23. Advice was received by wireless that the Niagara had run into a hurricane, and preparations were made on the Maui Pomare to leave Apia in a hurry in case the 5 hurricane travelled in the direction of ’ Apia. Eight hours later it was decidl ed to put to sea, as there was every ) appearance that the storm would strike > Samoa. The Maui Pomare received warning of the storm, but it came so ! suddenly that before she could weigh 7 anchor and clear the reef she was 5 struck by terrific seas which twisted j the stanchions on the bow and gave i the vessel a severe buffeting. She had ) to keep out to sea for twenty-four r hours. The wind veered round to the - south-west, but the vessel was able to ’ make Apia and continue her loading. Pilot Stays Aboard. The pilot who took the Maui Pomare 1 out of Apia had to remain on board ; until the ship put back, as it was too ’ rough for him to put off in n launch On the trip from Apia to Niue fine weather was experienced, but a big i swell was encountered; the seas had i not then died down. On arrival at * Niue Island it was found that the l hurricane had visited the eastern porl tion of the island and swept everyI thing before it. The banana plantai tions were destroyed, and several dwell ings were unroofed. The islanders re ported that owing to the damage sustained bananas would be very scarce at Niue for another six months. With the exception of rough weather , experienced yesterday in Cook Strait, the Maui Pomare made a good passage from Niue Island to Lyttelton. The vessel has 7300 cases of bananas to unload at Lyttelton, consigned to Christchurch, Timaru and Dunedin. She also brought about eighty sacks of cocoa beans for Dunedin and eleven 1 receptacles of mail. There were on board the following passenger?: Messrs D. N. Grant, W. J. Sparks, H B. Hutchinson and T. W. Lonsdale, Mesdames C. Carter, E. M. Carter and N Lonsdale. Two Samoan Islanders, the guests of the New Zealand Government, are Ilsesa Keo, a student, and Maleifi luatagaloa, a clerk in the Department of Native Affairs. The cargo of bananas brought to Lyttelton arrived in excellent order.