MRS. LITTLEJOHN'S LITTLE ADVENTURE

Chronicle (Levin), 7 March 1947, Page 5

MRS. LITTLEJOHN'S LITTLE ADVENTURE

AUCKLAND, Alarch 6. To be at a party at an hotel at King's Cross, Sydnev, one afternoon drinking ' ' boilermak.ers ' ' — whiskies followed by chasers (Tf beer — and to vvake iiext morning at daybreak on the deck of the American passenger vessel, Alarine Phoenix, en route to Auckland, was the fantastic experience of Ylrs. Terrie Littlejohn, aged 24, a theatrical artist, of Darlinghurst, Sydney. She arrived here last Friday with no iuggage, accompanied by her three-year-old son, and is stii-1 in Auckland awaiting her return to S\'dney by air. Mrs. Littlejohn made the l'our days' voyage without tickets and, according to her statenient, without questioning by the otlicers of the ship 's crew. She wallced ashore, with her soii, escaping the eyes of the Customs otlicers. Because her name was not on the passenger iist, it was not ealled with others cn her arrival at Auckland, and she was not notieed on the wharf where iiassengers have their Iuggage exaniined because she had none. Officials were unaware of her arrival until Monday wheji she called at the Passpor-t Otii'ce, inquiring about her return to Sydney. She caused a iiutter in the Auckland police station when she explained that she was an unwilling stowaway, because she had a ' ' blackout" at a party in a Sydney hotel. The port security department of the police inquired into the strange case, but was satislied after the identification of Mrs. Littlejohn by two members of an Australian theatrical eompany now in Auckland. Interviewed by the Press Mrs. Little-' john said:, "I think I must have had too many ' boilermakers'. Just imagine my consternation when at daybreak I awoke to fimj myself curled up" on the deck of the Atneriean sliip, under a rug, with my little boy fast asleep in my arms. ' ' I was not f eeling well — not seasick, but I had a terrilie 'hangover Mrs. Littlejohn said she had a hundred dollars in her purse. She' and her son had meals in the ship's first class dining rooin, and mingled with the passengers during the day. She played poker in the lounge at nigjit, and won, too. Her son played with the. two children of .Tan Rubini, the violinist. She slept- on deck. Mrs. Littlejohn said she appreciated the courtesy and kindness uf the Auckland officials.