TOURISTS FLOCK HOME

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20056, 30 September 1939, Page 16

TOURISTS FLOCK HOME

N.Z. AND AUSTRALIAN

MONTEREY LOOKED OUT

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day.

The rush of New Zealanders and Australians to get home almost completely booked out the Matson liner Monterey before-she left San Francisco. and when she arrived at Auckland yesterday only about 15 of the record number of 723 passengers were Americans. About seven were making the round voyage, going on to Melbourne and returning with the ship to the United States.

So largo was-the passenger...list that the writing-room in the first class section was equipped as a- dormitory. The doors bore the unusual request to other to keep silent because people inside were sleeping. Ten beds ware made up and most were occupied by passengers who boarded the ship at Honolulu and Suva.

Of the passengers, only a few crossed the Atlantic after the declaration c war. A few, for instance, travelled to the United States in the Dutch liner Nieuw Amsterdam.

Fog Over Harbour

The Rner entered the harbour limits in a thick fog. and anchored in the channel. The crowds on- the wharf waited impatiently/ but’ 'shortly, after 9 o’clock they were told that the naval authorities had ordered the port, to be closed until noon. The reason relayed to the waiting crowd was that the city could not be seen from the North Shore and no vessels were to be allowed to enter until visibility had been restored. r-, . .

When the sun came " out more strongly, however, and dispersed ' the fog, the order was relaxed and the Monterey came lip the , harbour and berthed soon after IT o’clock. ] 1

As was the practice with the Mariposa last week, no passengers by the Monterey v/ho were booked fqr ports beyond Auckland were allowed on shore without special passes. This also applied to the crew and, for long after the ship’s lines were secured, special clerks were kept busy examining passports and issuing passes. ■Since the ship was due to remain, in port overnight and not'sail-for Australia until noon to-day, many passengers had arranged short visits to Rotorua and Other sight-seeing districts. Some of these passengers sta*ed, however, that they had been asked to return to the ship last night, and so they had to cancel their ar- ‘ ' . ...