MARIPOSA SAILS HURRIEDLY

Chronicle (Levin), 8 July 1946, Page 4

MARIPOSA SAILS HURRIEDLY

— Press Association

MORE THAN HALF THE BUTTER LEFT BEHIND

Bv Telegravh-

AUCKLAND, July 7. An urgent message from the offiee of War Hhipping Administration, San Francisco, on Saturday afteruoon reSulted in a hurried change of sailing time for the Matson liner Mariposa and the sliip left Auckland at noon today with only 6800 cases of the 1(5,000 eases of butter which she was to have carried. The message, which was sent througli the office of the CQimpany's agents in Sydnev, stated tliat the Mariposa was urgently required for another mission and her departure must take place immediately. The local agents for the Matson Line, Messrs Henderson and Mact'arlane, explained that the sliip could not sail on Saturday evening as reqtiested because most of the passengers and many of the crew were ashore, but the sailing time was set at noon today and every.. effort was made to advise people concerned, of- the change in schedule. Messages were broadcast over the main radio stations at half-hourly intervals on Saturday night. Notices 1 were thrown on the screens of all pie- ' ture tlieatres, and announcements were ' 6ent to those addresses where it was i ppssible to make delivery in time, and | in otliei cases intending passengers j-vvere advised by telephone. In instances where a person concerned did not have • va telephone -installed, tlie;staff. of Ifen: derson and Macfarlnn^jubed t|tqjl;pdst oflice and iteiephpne' diglhct'dri'es'to^iSat® the nearest available s#t?lepltonbi 'ajn'd rang the householder at that address requesting that the information should be passed on. In every case everyone, willingly co-operated with the result that all H)4 passengers due to join the Mariposa at Auckland were aboard when the liner sailed. Jt was imjossible to tell, however, whether any of the passengers who were already on the Mariposa and who had left the sliip to spend the weekend with friends in and nc-ar Auckland, had been left behind, as olticial sailing time when they went on shore was 5 p.m. Tuesday. It is possible' that oue or two of them visiting country distriets did not hear the broadcast warning and have theref ore . been stranded. Three members of the crew reported to the Auckland agents stating they had missed the ship and the eompany was endeavouring to make arrangements for them to fly to Sydney to join the liner there. There has been no indication whether other arrangements will be made to ship the rnajor portion of the cargo of butter which has been left behind. It was intended for consumption by American forees in the Pacific. Suitable ships with refrigerated cargo space are Bcaree aird unless one is specially diverted to New Zealand in the near future, it appears likely that the rest of the butter will remain liere for many weeks.