TWO BIG LINERS

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24678, 22 September 1945, Page 8

TWO BIG LINERS

LYTTELTON FIRST PORT OF CALL EXPECTED AT END OF MONTH Two big transport liners, carrying a total of 5521 men and women who have served in the Middle East and the United Kingdom, are due to make Lyttelton their first port of call in the Dominion about September 30. Both vessels left the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, and, should both be likely to reach Lyttelton on the same day, one ship will probably be diverted to Wellington. The two liners are the Strathmore and the Dominion Monarch. If any diversion from Lyttelton as the first port of call is made, the ship is almost certain to be the Dominion Monarch, the larger ship, but carrying a smaller returning personnel. The announcement of the return to New Zealand early next month of servicemen and women on these two vessels was announced early this week by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones). The Strathmore is bringing 3939 men and 38 women, a total of 3977, and the personnel on the Dominion Monarch totals 1464, 859 men being from the Middle East and 605 from the United Kingdom. The Dominion Monarch, built in 1939 for the England-South Africa-Australia-New Zealand run by the Shaw Savill and Albion Company, is a ship of 27,155 tons, and i: scheduled to make her second visit to Lyttelton. She arrived at Lyttelton in September, 1939, just after the outbreak of the war, and was accommodated at a berth at the Gladstone pier. The refusal of the captain of the Dutch hospital shin Oranje, a smaller ship, to berth his vessel at Lyttelton recently was argued by reference to the berthing of the Dominion Monarch. The Strathmore will be making her first visit to Lyttelton. Built by the P. and O. Line in 1935, she has a tonnage of 23,428, and has a length of 640 feet.

RUGBY FOOTBALL * CANTERBURY V. OTAGO PROSPECTS FOR TO-DAY’S GAME The return match between the Canterbury and Otago representatives, to be played at Lancaster Park to-day, is creating widespread interest, and with easily the best team placed in the field this season Canterbury has a rare chance of atoning for its earlier and decisive defeat, this year. Both teams are materially altered from those that took part in the game earlier in the season, and only four of the men who played for Canterbury against Otago in the first game are deemed worthy of inclusion in to-day's fixture. The Otago team has been altered and weakened by the inability of well-known players in L. and J. Haig, D. Murdoch, and C. Wiilocks to make the trip. For the first time this season the Canterbury team will have H. Emery behind the scrum, and with a quick service assured J. Roach, R. Forscutt, and M. B. Mitchell, the inside backs, will give two fine wing-three-quarters in J. Kelly and G. Drummond plenty of scoring chances. There is speed in the Canterbury backline, and with a fine team of forwards, including Small, Cassidy, McKenzie, and Fitzgerald, many opportunities for bright and open play should be provided. A. D. Saul, of Otago, and a member of the Union Club, is regarded as one of the most promising wing-three-quarters seen in Dunedin football for some years, and with E. Collins (Dunedin) and A. Chandler (Southern) completes a speedy line of three-quarters. D. E. Currie, at full-back, is from South Otago, and good handling and long line-kicking have been features of his play this season. Following are the teams; — CANTERBURY Backs: P. Callanan (Marist), G. A. Drummond (University), M. B. Mitchell (Training College). J. W. Kelly (University). R. Forscutt (Sydenham), J. Roach (Technical), H. Emery (Marist). Forwards: R. Rothwell (Technical), C. Walklin (Marist), I. Atkinson (Sydenham), H. Tuanui (United-Waikari), F. Cassidy (Marist), A. D. McKenzie (University). P. Fitzgerald (Army), J. Small (Marist). OTAGO Backs: D. E. Currie (South Otago), A. D. Saul (Union), E. Collins (Dunedin), A. Chandler (Southern). S. Sutherland (Pirrates), C. McDonald (Pirates), R. Stewart (Alhambra). Forwards: T. Wallace (Southern), A. Storer (South Otago), G. Wheeler (South Otago), E. Wallace (Dunedin). R. McIntosh (Kaikorai). T. Buckley (University), V. Hughes (South Otago). K. O Connor (University). Referee: Mr L. Walsh.