A BELATED STEAMER

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2050, 10 April 1907, Page 1

A BELATED STEAMER

It will be a long time before the unpleasant memories of their cold dreary, all-night wait in Lyttelton ire effaced from the minds of the 200 people who had booked passages to AA’elington by the Rotomaliana last week. The Rotomaliana loft AVellingtcn at a quarter past one p.m. on AA’edncsday, and was advertised to sail again that evening at halfpast ten. It was, of course, quite impossible for her to do so, as she could not reach Lyttelton until the early hours of this (Thursday) morn-

uig- * The Union Company arranged tor the departure of a special train from Christchurch to Lyttelton at one o'clock in the morning to take the passengers for the steamer. No public announcement of tlie arrangement, however, was made, and only those who called at tho company’s office wore made aware of it. Tho majority of the passengers booked for the Rotomaliana fully expected that the steamer would sail on the arrival of the half-past ten train, and made their arrangements accordingly. A number who had booked earlier thought that the steamer would sail on the arrival of the twenty-five minutes past five p.m. -train, and went to Lyttelton by that train. All received a great shock when they reached Lyttelton and were told that tho vessel would not be in until after cue o’clock in the morning. Expressions of sttrprito and anger were to be heard on all sides; and there was much distress among a large number of ladies, many of whom had young children with them. By the time the half-past ten p.m. train arrived from Christchurch there were at least 200 passengers with all their baggage in Lyttelton waiting the arrival of the steamer.

The railway station aiid the yard was very much like a refuge camp. The two waiting rooms, the platform, and the seats wero crowded, and many people were wandering about the deserted streets'. Tlie night was fine, but there was a. keen wind blowing. At last, about ten minutes to two, the Rotomaliana came into sight, and 300 passengers, most of whom had been waiting in Lyttelton for four or five hours, boarded tlie vessel. The Rotomaliana sailed again at a quarter past three a.ill. for AA’ellington.