Holmlea officers watch Russians

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33065, 4 November 1972, Page 21

Holmlea officers watch Russians

In her regular inter-island passages, the roil-on vessel, Holmlea, has passed many foreign fishing craft on the main Wellington to Lyttelton route.

Yesterday, at daybreak, the second officer (Mr T. L. Casey), who was on watch, saw the Holmlea pass between seven Russian vessels. Three of these were large and probably mother or factory ships, he said. Four more were big trawlers. Most of them were at anchor about 21 miles northeast of Godley Head. The Holmlea’s chief officer (Mr J. B. Gilroy) saw them from a different viewpoint when the plane in which he flew south on Wednesday morning as a passenger to join the Holmlea, new over the fleet. Other ships have reported regular sightings, too. sk ® *

A brief caller at Lyttelton yesterday morning was the Union Steam Ship Company’s 4548-ton inter-colonial vessel, Ngahere, which discharged 109 trade vehicles from Wellington. She sailed for Tauranga to load newsprint and general cargo for Melbourne and Geelong. An earlier Ngahere, built in 1908 on the Clyde, and owned by the Blackball Coal Company, Ltd, was an attractive vessel well known in these waters but only of 1090 tons (gross). ® Ss #

There were two Union Steam Ship Company sister vessels in port yesterday. Both the Hawea and Wanaka arrived in Lyttelton yesterday morning after the Wanaka had been delayed at Dunedin because of a dispute. The Wanaka loaded and sailed for Auckland yesterday afternoon, and the Hawea, which had been waiting for the vacant roll-

on berth, moved over after she had sailed. Because of the delay the Wanaka will not return to Lyttelton from Auckland until Tuesday, and will omit Dunedin on her trip. She will sail for Auckland direct, intsead on the following day, Wednesday, to pick up her time-table. The Hawea is expected to sail for Sydney today. She has automatically been delayed by the Wanaka. s,: •*• An interesting item of cargo loaded on to the Holmdale yesterday was 13 tons of concrete blocks, specially manufactured by Vibrapac Blocks, Ltd, of Christchurch, for the Chathams County Council for new- building. If successful, the council intends ordering more such blocks. The Holmdale was by no means a full ship, as no more general cargo for the Chathams was offering. She loaded fuel oil as usual. $ $ The first of four high-speed jet river ambulances for service on the Mekong Delta was loaded on to the Dutch motor vessel, Straat Cumberland, at Cashin Quay yesterday. This is a donation by the External Aid Division of the Foreign Affairs Department to the South Vietnam Government under the Colombo Plan. The manufacturers are C. W. F. Hamilton Marine, Ltd, and the craft are worth $lOO,OOO. :> # sS In reply to J.J., of Blenheim, Cook Strait ferries could use a linkspan at Lyttelton if the coastal route were blocked, but only for road vehicles. Inquiries suggest that modification would be required at Lyttelton to provide rail facilities, however, but it would not be insurmountable by any means. Therefore, Lyttelton could always provide an alternative rail ferry link, once this was done, if Cook Strait should take over the whole ferry operation eventually. ARRIVALS Wanaka (5.38 a.m.), 2769, Capt. D. C. B. Lochhead, Dunedin (U.S.S.). Ngahere (7.23 a.m.), 4548, Capt. A. Dodds, Wellington (U.S.S.). Holmlea (7.38 a.m.), 1106, Capt. E. Savage, Wellington (U.S.S.). Hawea (8.23 a.m.), 2926, Capt. R. H. Stewart, Dunedin (U.S.S.). Parera (9.15 a.m.), 823, Capt. R. Speary, Onehunga (U.S.S.). DEPARTURES Ngahere (11.21 a.m.), 4548, Capt. A. Dodds, Tauranga (U.S.S.). Wanaka (3 p.m.), 2769, Capt. D. C. B. Lochhead, Auckland (U.S.S.). Holmlea (4.35 p.m.), 1106, Capt. E. Savage, Wellington (U.S.S.). Straat Cumberland (5.20 p.m.), 8855, Capt. Sikko Tjeerd Dooraos, New Plymouth (Guthrey). Holmdale (6.30 p.m.), 911, Capt. E. R. Warner, Chathams (8.30 p.m.), 11,866, Capt. E. F. Allen, Bluff (P and O (N.Z.), Ltd). . EXPECTED ARRIVALS Rangatira, Wellington, today. Iberic, Wellington, today. Rangatira, Wellington, November Larisa Heysner, Wellington, Nov. Holmlea, Wellington, November 5. Koraki. Dunedin, Nov. 8. Rangatira, Wellington, November 7. Hawea, Auckland, November 7. Trewidden, Nelson, November 8. Storm, Timaru, November 9. Koranui, Tauranga. November 9. Loire Lloyd, Napier, Nov. 9. Luminous, Wellington, November 10. Ontario, Chile. Nov. 10. Northern Star. Wellington. Nov. Mirrabooka, Wellington, Nov. 11. Koa Maru, Japan, Nov. 11. Karetu. Newcastle. Nov. 12. Port Caroline. Bluff, Nov. 13. Port St Lawrence. Auckland, Nov. 13. Belita. Ocean Island. Nov. 13. Abel Tasman. Coff’s Harbour, Nov. 14. Hupeh, Wellington. November 16. Kawerau. Cape Thevenard, Nov. 17. Pacific Express, Auckland, Nov. 17. Montreal Star, Wellington, November 18. Medic. Wellington, November 19.