Matua Unpopular as
p. 52 · Read in the full issue
NZ Ferry Will Resume in Islands Trade In October
THE Union Steam Ship Co’s Island vessel Matua which was withdrawn temporarily from the Island run following the Fiji hurricane made a number of trans- Tasman voyages, and has recently taken up the running on the over night New Zealand inter-island service, relieving the regular vessels during their annual overhaul.
Matua in her latest role is looked on as something of a pain in the neck in New Zealand travel and business quarters. For the first few days of her running, regular inter island travellers were arriving on the wharf to find that Matua had sailed an hour earlier than the normal ferry sailings—due to her slower speed. She has also been unable to connect with the mail trams, causing a 24-hour delay in surface mails between the two islands. Finally, Matua is capable of carrying only a fraction of the number of passengers carried by Hinemoa and Rangatira which normally maintain the service.
Comment from one interested person; “Send the brute back to the Islands.”
However, it is unlikely that she will return there until the end of October when she will replace Tofua who then withdraws for annual survey, Tofua is expected to resume again in November and by this time it is hoped that there will be suf ficient Fiji bananas forthcoming for Matua also to remain in the service.