ANOTHER PICTON TRIP "OFF,"

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1637, 2 January 1913, Page 3

ANOTHER PICTON TRIP "OFF,"

\. T ' ',', THE WEATHER THIS TIME.; . ' . • "Dame Rumour" was busy in town yesterday morning concerning the reasons 'given for the failure to dispatch the Maori on her excursion to Picton. '. It was reported that the firemen had refused to take the ship out unless they were paid 80s. for the run ■ across ]to ricton and: .back. .'This, however,-, was found'-to be incorrect. The firemen were quite willing and ready to go at the ordinary! rates of pay, and the vessel would have sailed at the advertised time had tho weather' been at all favourable. _ Long before the appjflnted time of sail-" tag intending excursnflists had congregated on tho wharf recjly to go on board as soon as the Maori was cleared of southern passengers. At 7.45 a.m. there were quite 400. people waiting when word went forth that the trip was "off." r : . It was '"circumstances" which stopped the Majaroa from making an excursion fan Boxing Day, and it was tho weather which caused- the trip to be abandoned yesterday, much to the disgust of. many/ When the Maori arrived from Lyttelton Captain Aldircll reported a fresh "northerly" outside, which.showed signs of changing round to tho southward. The rain, which, eventually came, was not far off,:'so it was decided to declare the trip 'cancelled. Expectations proved correct. All' day a thick fog hung round the coast and drizzling rain.was falling; If the excursion had been carried out under these circumstances conditions would have been rather unpleasant for. passengers, as they would have had to' remain on deck during the time that the vessel was crossing Cook Strait. ~