MAORI IN A STORM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 110, 12 May 1933, Page 6

MAORI IN A STORM

VERY HIGH SEAS. WELLINGTON, May 11. The Union Company’s ferry steamer Maori "arrived at Lyttelton from Wellington at 2.10 p.m. yesterday, instead of at 7 a.m., which is her usual time. The Maori was delayed by a southwesterly gale with very heavy seas. The Maori arrived back in Wellington this morning, and the master (Captain G. B. Morgan) said that the trip in which the Maori was delayed was one of the roughest ever experienced by her, but probably not the roughest. There was always a tendency, he said, for masters of shifts to say a storm was the roughest ever experienced, but ho could not say that with respect to the Maori’s passage. The Maori had arrived at Lyttelton after 2 p.m. in the past, and on one trip she did not arrive until after 4 p.m. Also, he coqld recall a. trip when she did not pass Cape Campbell until 4 a.m. on the day after leaving Wellington, whereas it was usual for the ship to pass Cape Camp bell at 10.30 p.m. on the day of leaving port, and the Maori was up to time in passing Cape Campbell on Tuesday evening. Captain Morgan said that he was unable to estimate the strength of the wind during the stormy passage that delayed the ship, but probably it was about sixty miles an hour. The seas were exceptionally high and steep. It was pointed out by Captain Morgan that when the glass is falling the seas are nearly always steep, but after some days of storm the waves flatten out. The passengers kept off the decks, which were frequently awash, and many of them were sick. No damage was 'done to the ship.