PACIFIC CRUISE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 133, 2 December 1929, Page 9

PACIFIC CRUISE

AMERICANS ON TOUR

GESTURE OF GOODWILL

. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Bay. On a pleasure trip, yet which has » deeper significance for many of those taking part, 350 American citizens disembarked from the steamer Malolo afc Auckland yesterday to see what they can of New Zealand in three days. "San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Around Pacific Cruise, 1929," displayed on a large banner hung at the sid» of the steamer tells the nature of the tour, which began. on 21st September and is expetced to end on 20th December, when- the Malolo is due back at San Francisco. This is the first American party which has chartered a steamer to visit- countries, English-speaking and others, which border the Pacific. "Women are in the majority among the passengers on the Malolo. The men include leaders in business and professions from various parts of the country, but mostly from California. There are 26 States represented, and also the territories of Alaska and Hawaii. The Malolo left Sydney at 7 a.m. oa Thursday, and dropped anchor in "Waitsmata harbour a few minutes before 7. a.m. yesterday. A welcome to New Zealand was extended by an official party, which proceeded to the Malolo in the stream, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe representing the Government. Owing to the shortness of the veso sol's stay here no time was lost after berthing, and by 9.15 a.m. approximately half the passengers were en, route to Eptorua by train, and others were entering a fleet of motor-cars.in which they were driven to points of interest in and about the city. The first party returns from Eotorua this afternoon, when the other section of passengers will leave for Eotorua. The Malolo leaves for Suva to-morrow night. The visiting party is headed by Mr. C. C-Moore, a former president of th» San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, who is chairman of the cruise committee, and by Mr. N. Lynch, vice-presi-dent of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. ""We carry no handbags or samples. Bather, we bring something in our hearts," said Mr. Moore. ""We bring ourselves and our friends from the United States to learn something of your country and others bordering the Pacific, and to aid in our small way in furthering international peace and understanding. We do not come to increase our exports, but rather by, friendly contacts to increase your exports to our country." • Mr. Moore said that within fifty miles radius of San Francisco there lived no fewer than 5000 people who had been born in New Zealand. He referred to the value as international links of such movement as the Boy Scouts. The basis of the tour, he said, was pleasure. It had to be, in order to induce those taking part to spend in the aggregate probably a million dollars, but many would not be justified in taking the time purely for that, and_ so their serious purpose in undertaking the tour was a gesture, or more than a gesture, of the reality or. international goodwill.