M.V. "Maui Pomare" Has
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“Bucketing About"
M.V. "Maui Pomare" Has Miserable Trip
FEW Pacific travellers will envy the 13 passengers who were on board the N.Z. Government motor-ship “Maui Pomare”, when she left Apia on Septem ber 7, on an 8 days’ run to Lyttelton.
The engines of this motor-ship always have been temperamental—and the en gineers began to have trouble soon after the vessel left Apia. There were alter nate periods of creeping along on one or two engines, and of drifting, while the engineers tried to repair the machinery; but, finally, the captain was forced to anchor his ship in the lee of one of the Kermadec Islands, about 600 miles north east of Auckland. At this stage, the lu bricating oil gave out and the captain radio’d for assistance.
Meanwhile provisions—especially fresh food —ran very low, and parties were organised to fish vigorously, so that there might be some variety of diet.
After some days the little lighthouse steamer “Matai” arrived with supplies and lubricating oil, and went on again; but, even then, the engineers could not make the engines go and the “Matai” had to be recalled by radio, and she finally towed the helpless “Maui Pomare” down to Wellington.
A trip which normally takes 8 days occupied actually 20 days. ■ The Auckland ketch-rigged yacht, “Seaward”, owned and navigated by Mr.
D. Wellington, returned to New Zealand in mid-October after a four and a half months’ Islands cruise. Ports visited included Noumea, the Loyalty Group, and Lord Howe Island.