Aratika trial delayed
A trial run for the refurbished rail ferry Aratika has been set back again. The Railways Department now says the ship will sail for Picton tomorrow morning, only 24 hours before she is scheduled to enter service.
The reason for the holdups — the Aratika was to have crossed to try her Picton berth on Thursday — was that there were a number of jobs aboard still unfinished, said a Railways spokesman, Mr M. Burgess.
Workmen had been busy with things such as the installation of mural-type papers, but the expected crossings were not firm ones.
“We know the ferry fits the Picton berth,” he said. However, the Aratika will be connecting with the upper-deck ramp for the first time, and there have been problems with this on other ferries.
According to unofficial reports, the Aratika might not even start service on
Monday. Apparently there is a shortage of stewards in Wellington, but union members in other ports are offering to man the ship. However, the men are believed to be insisting that if they are taken on, the Railways should fly them to and from Wellington at each crew change, a practice which would start an expensive precedent for the fleet.
Report and pictures of Aratika, Page 24.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19761218.2.4
Bibliographic details
Press, 18 December 1976, Page 1
Word Count
210Aratika trial delayed Press, 18 December 1976, Page 1
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.