FAST TRAVELLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 199, 23 August 1926, Page 8

FAST TRAVELLING.

MOTOR SHIP'S GOOD PASSAGE.

THIRTY-THREE DAYS' TRIP. PORT DUXEDIN'S RECORD. On her recent trip from England to Xew Zealand the Commonwealth and Dominion Line's motor ship, Port Dunedin, which, arrived at Auckland from Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, occupied only thirty-three days two hours thirty-seven minutes, exclusive of the time spent in the Panama Canal zone. This time is a record for the voyage. ■ Leaving Liverpool at 7 p.m. on July 17, the Port Dunedin made excellent progress in the Atlantic, and arrived at Colon at 8.30 p.m. on July 30, her average speed for the run being 14.22 knots per hour. The delay in the Panama Canal zone totalled one day five hours. Coming across the Pacific the vessel experienced fine weather until Wednesday of last week, when a hard westerly gale, accompanied by high head s£as, reduced the ship's speed. When the storm area was passed the motor ship completed her voyage under normal conditions. The time during which the speed was reduced totalled twenty-two hours forty-six minutes. Auckland was reached on

Saturday afternoon the vessel dropping anchor at 2.30 p.m. The distance between the two ports was covered at an average speed of 13.00 knots.

On her maiden voyage from London to Dunedin the Port Dunedin occupied thirty-four days one hour fifty-one minutes, despite the fact that she was delayed off the coast for several hours owing to a thick fog. That time was within a narrow margin of the record, her average speed being 13.7 knots.

The motor ship. Port Hobart, a sister ship to thf> Port Dunedin, recently made a record Homeward passage from New Zealand of thirty-four days.

The White Star liner Corintllif, which left London two days before the Tort Dnnedin. is expected to make port tomorrow evening. The motor ship thus beat the steamer by five days.

The Port DunedinV record applies only to vessels regularly engaged in the New Zealand trade.