PENALTY NOW £12,000 Delay To Govt. Launch’s Delivery

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31177, 29 September 1966, Page 3

PENALTY NOW £12,000 Delay To Govt. Launch’s Delivery

GVew Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 28. The Minister of Marine (Mr Scott) said today that delivery of his department’s new 55ft fisheries patrol launch Ohorere—now nine months overdue because the vessel is not fast enough—was still expected to be made.

But the Ohorere’s builder faces a latedelivery penalty of more than £12,000.

“As far as I am aware, the penalty will definitely be invoked,” said Mr Scott. The £55,000 vessel was launched by an Auckland boat-builder, Mr P. Vos, last November and the department expected to take delivery at the end of last year.

But the Ohorere has been unable to reach the specified 20 knots in sea trials. "As far as I am aware, the department will still accept delivery of the launch providing it matches the specifications and conditions,” said Mr Scott. He said the vessel would be fitted with stabilisers before further trials were made.

The Marine Department’s deputy-surveyor of ships, Mr H. D. M. Jones, said today that the launch had not yet been offered for final acceptance.

"We have not yet been invited to be present at any of the sea trials.” Mr Jones described the fact that the launch had still not been delivered as a “most unfortunate case.” The Ohorere was ordered by the department last year to patrol New Zealand’s fishing grounds, to check on weights of catches and fishing gear and police fishing grounds against poaching.

But since the vessel was launched it has been dogged by trouble. Earlier this year one of the Ohorere’s engines blew up during speed trials. The manufacturers replaced the engine free of charge.