NEW MOTOR SHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 5, 6 January 1934, Page 9

NEW MOTOR SHIP.

MAORI CEREMONIAL.

Port Chalmers Leaving London

Next Week.

EXPORT TRADE EXPANSION.

(United P.A.-Electric Telegraph-Copyright)

(Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, January 5. A venerable Maori custom was revived at a ceremony, which took place in anticipation of the departure on Tuesday next of the new Commonwealth and Dominion Line motor ship the Port Chalmers, when, in the presence of a representative gathering on the bridge, Mr. R. S. Forsyth, manager of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board,' presented Captain S. W. Hayter with a tiki pounamu. The Maoris, according to legend, initiated this ceremony when their giant canoes, led by Te Arawa, departed from the fabled Hawaiki. The bridge of tne motor ship, in accordance with custom, \Vaa decorated with fern fronds, some erect as homage to the gods of heaven and others pointing down in obeisance to the gods of the ocean. I . The chip's health wae honoured in a special Port Chalmers?cocktail. Mr. H. E. Davis, manager of the New Zealand Produce Board, pointed out apropos of the proposals to restrict shipments of' produce from the Dominions that half of Britain's butter supplies were still from foreign countries. Mr. H. W. Corry, vice-chairman of the Commonwealth and Dominion Line, said eight additional vessels wCi'e being built for.the Australian and New Zealand trade. He said New Zealand exports of butter totalled 1,200,000ewt in 1923 and 2,544,000cwt in 1033. Cheese exports had increased in that period from 1,441,000 cases to 2,106,000, and mutton and lamb from 6,400,000 carcases to 11,000,000. The Port Chalmers is the first Australian and New Zealand trader to be fitted with a special gastight chamber for the carriage of chilled beef.

The Port Chalmers is one of two motor ships which have been under construction within the past three , months for the Commonwealth and Dominion Line to enter the Australian and New Zealand trade with Britain. She is of 8800 gross tonnage.