SYDNEY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 100, 22 January 1919, Page 8

SYDNEY

STRANDED NEW ZEALANDERS RETURN

SOME OF THEIR EXPERIENCES

arrival of the Union Company's s.s. Moeraki at. .Wellington yesterday .terminated what'foV many of tho passengers' had been none, too pleasant an experience'.- ' The Moeraki brought to New "''Zealand" from 'Sydney 84 saloon and .24.steerage/passengers, most of whom were New Zealanders who were by no means sorry to.return after tho tedious delays involved by the shipping trouble oft the other side. This trouble, it".will-be iemembered, originated with -.demands-:ihade : *3'\,fiTenien on certain 'vessels about the time 'of the epidemic scare for'/greatly increased wages and a high rate of insurance against death from influenza. .

The last incident 'of the shipping trouble, so far as, it concerned the 'Moeraki in particular, was yesterday related to a Dominion representative by one of the passengers. It occurred .at s.o'clock on'the afternoon of Thursday; 'January 16; The passengers believed theff'ihat x tho ship was due to cast off ' within the next few minutes, but a last demand came from 'the firemen, backed up with a threat of further delay.. The firemen considered that the.mattresses "on-■.'their bunks were not satisfactory, and they insisted on new bedding being ; put in; and it was; not imtil new mattresses had'taken the, place of all tho old ones that the voyage was commenced. -Once the vessel was underway, ■■ the ' passengers had quite' a ■■ pleasant tinie to" compensate them for their past, anxieties, for the sea re- ; maihe'd calm as', a mill-pond throughout the'lrip.".' .:;. '.' . ■ \ ' The arrival of : the Moeraki, the Manuka and the Makura in New Zealand will have -landed in . their .own conn- ' try all.the New Zealanders who were held up in' Australia during the dispute between the firemen and the Union Company. . The Makura arrived . 'Auckland on Monday night, the Moeraki berthed at the.'Queen's Wharf at ; 10. a.m.. yesterday,; iind the Manuka was yesterday considered to be due today or. 1 to-morrow: '■•■■' ■. : The story of show the stranded* New . Zealanders fared in'Svdnev is prettv 'generally known. While the trouble Was .on, they were notified through the Government Agent'for sew Zealand of "any berths vacant -in-New Zealand.jDon'rid'''vessels, and; -.as- the openinssWere'few,. they had''to.resort to the Fallot-.to decide..'who should profit by, them;': The operation of the ballot hit 'some New Zealanders to ther ha rd.. For .instance, when; one vessel -was about to 'sail, a.' gentleman and. his wife b" +l i 'drew .the .lucky tickets?, bearing "S'.. ; (for' steamer); but, unfortunately, their daughter "drew a .blank," and the family had to .wait- for better, times. In .' another instance, ■'. a. gentleman kindly ;g'ave"up.'his berth to-a returning soldier, and a'married couple generously resigned their rights to a berth in our of two girls i whose case seemed to call- for sympathetic, .consideration'. •Some of the New .Zealanders who had •been reduced in funds by-their enforced stay on the other side .took employment as stewards, etc;, on the Durhamj and secured free passages to this country,.- : ■•",■ ,■■■'■''• A .few of. the Moeraki s. passengers consider that something like .profiteering: was attempted by .one or'two shipping companies not involved iS trouble ;with 'their■'•': employees: ■■■■". Among . the. 'offers, made to [ the New Zealanders w'no ver&:anxious,to,',.obtain passages home a company which for.years lhad run ascertain..boat on small coastal trips from; Sydney..'Harbour;/ The vessel had accommodation for. 150 tirst-class-passengers,•and had the trouble on the Moeraki. Makura, and Manuka not been ended; some of the New Zealanders woiild hsvo .punched ■the'.compahv in question -by the jmv.ment of £15 lOsi per head. • A berth +o .:New.'Zealrihd : on. another vessel could have been bought foiy£2o. \ ... '<