TRANS-TASMAN SHIPPING

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25205, 9 June 1947, Page 8

TRANS-TASMAN SHIPPING

LITTLE RELIEF OF SHORTAGE WITHDRAWAL OF WAHINE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, June 7. The company had made the Wahine available during the last four months as a stop-gap, but it was now necessary to withdraw the vessel for the annual survey and overhaul. The. intention was to assist the position by re-engaging the Wahine on the Wel-Jington-Syoney run, probably early in September, said an official of the Union Steam Ship Company, commenting on a Sydney message that 700 persons were registered for passages to New Zealand, and that according to the latest advice there will be no passenger ship running a regular service across the Tasman until the beginning of next year. The official explained that as far as his company was concerned, the lack of transportation facilities was the result of the war. The Niagara and Awatea were war casualties. The Monowai was still under Governmental war-time requisition until the completion of reconversion for civil employment. This work has been in hand at Sydney since August, 1946, and. having been seriously delayed by industrial troubles, would not be completed earlier than about February, 1948. For one period of four months all work on board was held up. The Monowai would, in due course, be employed solely on the carriage of passengers on the trans-Tasman run. Similar delays had occurred at Sydney in the reconversion of the liner Aorangi, which was also still under wartime requisition. The Aorangi would assist with the trans-Tasman traffic en route to and from Vancouver, beginning probably a little earlier than the Monowai.