RUSH FOR S.S. ULIMAROA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1079, 18 March 1911, Page 4

RUSH FOR S.S. ULIMAROA.

THE CALL OP THE CORONATION. All day yesterday, from the time that the office w'as opened, Messrs. liuddart, Parker and Co.'s staff were kept particularly busy attending to passengers and intending passengers by tho Ulimaroa. Tho rush was a rather woiidcrful one, for at times tho crowd was three deep at tho counter. In addition to ordinary business, '260 Wellington passengers were booked for Sydiloy or beyond. Several. hours beforo tho advertised timo of sailing tlio clerka wero obliged to ceaso issuing tickets, the vessel being a full ship, and many wero tho ' disappointed ones. It is stated that tho chief reason for this abnormal traffic at this timo of tho year is tho call of tho Coronation, a largo number of tho Ulimaroa's passengers beiug en route for London. Tho sight that met tho eye oil tho wharf was one to bo remembered. Just prior to tho vessel's departure tho whole of tho ship's railing was thronged by passengers, oacli no doubt exchanging last signals with friends. Presently tlio order came from the bridge to "stand by, and at onco a great cloud of handkerchiefs wero out and waving. Tho wharf, too, was packcd in tho vicinity of the vessel by a crowd of some 800 or moro sightseers and people who had come down to see friends olf. Outsido tho wharf barriers also a largo crowd had gathered, and it is estimated that quite 1200 people were on tlio wharf nt tho time.

As tho vessel was drawing away fr.om her berth tho ship's bugler played: "Say Au Revoir, but not Good-bye." Then, as the Ulimaroa swung round with her bow pointing towards Point Jerningham, the flag waii dipped three times, and tho scene ended. About 400 passengers wero taken.