MONOWAPS ROUGH TRIP

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2628, 25 November 1915, Page 6

MONOWAPS ROUGH TRIP

STOOD IT "LIKE A DUCK."

After an exceptionally rough trip down the east coast, the Union Company's Monowai arrived in Wellington early yesterday, morning, and, in.the words of Captain Drowette, "she came through it like a duck." Off the East Capo on Sunday last the southerly gale was terrific in its fury, and mountainous seas were raised. Such weather conditions at this time of the year are unusual, and, speaking to a Dominion reporter yesterday, Captain Drewette expressed the opinion that the seasons seem to be changing. The weather of the last week, ho said, was what could be expected in June or July, hut it was not liked in November. The huge seas made it impossible for the Monowai to lie out in the roadstead at Gisborne on Sunday afternoon last, and the vessel had to pass that unfortunate port, carrying on about twenty-three passengers who were anxious to get homo. Even at Napier the vessel could not get alongside at once, but eventually the over-carried passengers were put off on Tuesday, and woro to go back from Napier to Gisborne by the Paloona last night. The Paloona is a day lato in leaving Napier this trip, so when the Gisborne passengers from Auckland land at their home port this (Thursday) morning, they will have been five days on a journey that usually takes about twenty hours. Tho passcugoi's did not mind tho heavy weather, said the captain of the Monowai, and they wer© 'as happy as larry through it. _ No doubt, however, they will he glad it is over. The mail steamers to Gisborno 6eldom pass tho port more than two or three times at the most in the year; when they do it means a great deal of trouble for tho townspeople. On this occasion it moans that a full .week elapses between the s.iiling of the southern boats.

Captain Drewetto gave it as his opinion that it would bo advantageous if a wireless station was orected at Napier, for the wireless operators on the east coast seem to have difficulty in picking up Wellington between t&o Uamt Capo and Blinds Head, on Account, Jia believed, of a mountain eojwn.