BACK FROM SYDNEY.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1921, Page 5

BACK FROM SYDNEY.

MORE NEW ZEALANDERS. EXASPERATIONS OF HOLD-UP. A number of New Zealanders who had been stranded in Sydney as a result of the shipping strike, returned by the Port Nicholson, which reached Auckland last week. The state of affaire created by the strike so far as visitors to Sydney were concerned were described by some of those who returned. One passenger stated that many people who were waiting to return to the Dominion had been caused considerable inconvenience owing to the uncertainty of the information received from the shipping offices as to the probable date of sailing of the Maheno. At first it was announced that this vessel would leave for Auckland on December 27, and there was then a rush by prospective passengers to get aboard the ship. It was not untill they got to the wharf that they learned that the date of departure had been postponed indefinitely. These people then had to hurry back to their hotels in the hope that the rooms they vacated had not been let. In quite a number of instances New Zealanders were not able to re-engage rooms ht the hotels where they had been living and consequently had to seek accommodation elsewhere. What caused a lot of trouble was the fact that they were kept running backwards and forwards between their hotels and the shipping office for the purpose of getting information concerning the probable date of departure of any vessel bound for New Zealand.

It was a common thing to see queue” of anxious New Zealanders formed in front of some of the shipping offices for a lengthy period, only to be told to “Come back to-morrow.” This went on day after day and still no satisfactory information was obtainable. At length, however, it was learned that there was no possible chance of either the Maheno or the Niagara leaving until after the New Year holidays.

During the time it was expected the Maheno would get away for Auckland arrangements were made for despatching the Manuka to Wellington, but this fact was not known by many until it was too late to secure a passage by this vessel.

Mr. G. 'G. G. Watson, a solicitor of Wellington, who came back in the Port [Nicholson, states that so far as he could judge none of the New Zealanders held up in Sydney were suffering any financial hardship. The inconvenience of being compelled to remain in Sydney when they were anxious to get back to their homes was s their chief concern. Nevertheless, the hotel rates were high —considerably higher than in New Zealand—therefore the travellers were being put to an unanticipated expense. When it became known that the Port Nicholson would carry a limited number of passengers, her accommodation being only for 20, there was a general rush to book berths. The ship sailed from Sydney on Christmas morning, and those fortunate enough to be aboard her were not sorry to be on their way back to the Dominion. A pleasant voyage was experienced, and the ship’s officers did everything possible to make the passengers comfortable.