LUXURY LINER

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1931, Page 6

LUXURY LINER

MALOLO AT AUCKLAND. MILLIONAIRE TRIPPERS. SCENES IN STRANGE LAND. AUCKLAND, November 30. Cruising around the Pacific for the third time, in three years, the Matson liner Malolo berthed at Auckland yesterday morning. She carries 123 tourists, as well as a number of inter-port passengers. As on previous cruises, Captain C. A. Bemdtson is in command. Since its bust visit to Auckland the Malolo has undergone a complete transformation in appearance. The familiar chocolate hull and buff funnels of the. Matson Line have been, replaced by an entirely new colour scheme, which is to bring the Malolo into conformity with the company’s two new ships, which will take up the running between San Francisco and Auckland .next year. The hull and superstructure are painted pure white, with a narrow blue hand extending through the complete length of the ship. The funnels are the usual huff colour,' with a blue top and the letter M on the side, and below the waterline the vessel is painted green. The Malolo is under the command of Captain C. A. . Bemdtson. who lias been in charge of the ship since it was built. FINE WEATHER RECORD. Fine weather lias favoured the tourists throughout, the cruise, and, as .the visit to New Zealand will bring the sight seeing;portion of the cruise to « close, the passengers were enthusiastic at the prospect of an unbroken record of fine weather. During its tour the Malolo lias called at Hilo and Honolulu in the Hawaiian Islands, Yokohama, Kobe and Myanma in Japan, Chinwantao, Shanghai, Hong-Kong, Mani'a, Bangkok, Singapore, Batavia, Macassar, Port Moresby and Sydney. The proportion of millionaires on the Malolo this year is considerably larger than it has been on the two previous cruises. The depression in the United States has largely discouraged travel on the part of all except the very wealthy, many of the present passengers being millionaires in terms of

pounds storing. Anther factor lias been the uncertain situation in sevjeral European countries which former- , ly attracted a large Johimc of Amerjican tourist traffic, and in consequence portion of this traffic has been diverted |to tile Pacific. Although the! passengers come from all;,,parts of the United | States, the majority are residents of California, San Francisco and Los Angeles supplying the largest number. "., , ’ . SIAMESE PAGEANTRY. A rare spectacle was afforded the tourists during the stay of the vessel at Bangkok, the capital of Siam. On the day following' their arrival the native festival of Tot Kathin was held and the passengers were afforded an opportunity of seeing a. ceremony which few of the European residents of .iSi.a-m have ever witnessed. Once a year the King visits the Siamese temples and, performs the ceremony of Tot Kathin, or distribution of robes to the temple priests. The Malolo tourists witnessed the procession of scarlet painted, royal barges, eacli with 22 rowers arrayed in brilliant costumes of green, blue, gold and purple, and saw the ceremony 'carried out with all the lavish splendour and magnificence of tile East. While at .Java on November 11, 65 of the passengers visited the huge Borobudur Temple, and at 11 a.m. observed two minutes’ silence under its towering walls to mark the thirteenth anniversary of the Armistice. Those who .participated in this brief ceremony! say they will never forget its solemnity, experienced as it was so far from home and in such exotic surroundings.

NOVEL NATIVE ENTERTAINMENT. Later, at Port Moresby, a native entertainment was arranged, for the tourists hy the British Government official's. A party of 500 New Guinea natives came into the port from tno interior and gave a special exhibition of tribal dances and ceremonies. Those who were at the .festival said it one of the most novel and interesting entertainments provided during the cruise, and it- was easy to imagine that the natives, many of whom had their cheeks pierced with hone decorations, had been cannibals until very recent vears.

A busy scene was presented when the Malolo had berthed and the passengers were being organised into parties to undertake the shore trips. Within a few minutes 17 passengers left in five motor-cars for Waitomo Caves, the Chateau Tongariri, Wairakei and Rotorua. The majority of the visitors, numbering 108, left by special train at 9 a.m. direct for Rotorua, where they spent two days. Tire party was accompanied 'by Mr S. JCollett, of the Tourist Department, Wellington, and .Mr J. IV. Clarke, Auckland manager of the department.