AORANGI HELD UP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 21 December 1927, Page 5

AORANGI HELD UP.

TROUBLE WITH CREW. THICK HANDS ABSENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Tuesday. The Royal Alail liner Aorangi, which left for Vancouver to-night, was delayed for nearly two hours owing to trouble with the crew. The vessel was ready to sail at six o’clock, but at sailing time two of the deck hands were absent. It is understood one of the men had asked to be paid off during the day, but his request was refused. He then went on shore and failed to return. The absence of the man and the matter of replacing him by a substitute formed the subject of a meeting of the other seamen on board. The meeting lasted for nearly an hour, and after it ended a substitute, who had been engaged in place of the missing man, left in a motor-ear to obtain his sea outfit. When he returned a quarter of an hour later tho passengers cheered because they thought the Aorangi would then sail. However, the vessel was further delayed by a second absentee, who at about half-past 5 climbed ashore by means of ono of the fender lanyards. The man wandered about at the head of the wharf until 7.35, and then returned on board. This ended the. Aorangi’s trouble, and shortly afterwards the gangway was let go and tho vessel east off from the wharf. The delay was very disappointing to the passengers and a large number of people who had assembled on the wharf to bid good-bye to friends. The Prime Minister was present to farewell Air and Airs Amcry, but he had to leave the wharf at half-past 6 in order to catch his train for Wellington. By the time the Aorangi sailed many of the other spectators had departed owing to uncertainty as to when the vessel would go.