LASHED BY STORM

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20003, 31 July 1939, Page 13

LASHED BY STORM

MATUA’S WORST TRIP BATTERING IN PACIFIC DECKS UNDER WATER NO DAMAGE TO SHIP (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Battling into a terrific southwesterly storm, y.’vc’i whipped up the Pacific tempc’s.uouMy, the Matua experienced what her officers described as the worst trip in living memory on her return voyage last week from Rarotonga. Showing no outward signs of her trying trip, the vessel arrived at Auckland on Saturday morning, being a day late, and many of her 33 passengers breathed a sigh ol relief and had their first meal for many days. Actualy, it was a stormy voyage throughout the round trip lasting a fortnight. The ship was unable to put into some of the island ports and the passengers could not be landed on account of a heavy ocean swell making the hazardous entry through the corat reefs even more so. However, it was often brilliantly sunny and the full fury of the storm did not lash the ship until she was heading back to Auckland from Rarotonga. Hurricane Force Often the wind reached hurricane force. Tlie ship was tossed mercilessly and’ waves broke continuously •over her bows. The decks were awash for days at a time and the water frequently crashed up to the height of the bridge, whete the helmsman had an unenviable task. Speed was reduced for short intervals during the worst hours of the storm when the ship was pitching so badly that the propeller was periodically exposed and shook the ship from end io end. The trip from Rarotonga usually takes the Matua about four and a half days. On this occasion it took her five days five hours, so that instead of dropping (anchor :ifn the Wauemata harbour at about midnight on Friday, she was not inside until early on Saturday morning. No damage to the ship was reported iby Captain Prosser, who said everything had 'been securely battened down when the storm threat was fully realised. None of the crew suffered, but ’only a small percentage of the passengers were ever seen outside their cabins. The ship’s chapter of misfortune included a fall by one of its passengers on the outward voyage. the victim suffered injuries to his nbs, necessitating a period of convalescence at Rarotonga before rejoining the Matua for the return voyage.