THE ORARI AT PORT CHALMERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 105, 27 January 1908, Page 10

THE ORARI AT PORT CHALMERS.

Tho New Zealand Shipping . Company's 6teamer Orari, punctual to her due datei of arrival, reached . Port Chalmers on Thursday', frorii London, ~ The Orari left London on December 5,. the first stage of tho voyage being marked by unpleasant weatlier, and heavy* S.W. gales wore met with between Ushant and Finisterre. After that tho weather improved, and continued fine until after passing the Cape, on New lear s Eve. When in the meridian of 57 E long, a heavy gale set in from the,S.W. and A\., accompanied with heavy rain and terrific cross seas, lasting for three days, during whicli the barometer reached the' low reading of 28.60. Fine weather then ensued, and a comfortable temperature marked the passage until crossing the-Tasman Sea, when heavy rain and high seas set in, and continued until arrival off the Heads. Captain Forsdick states that ho saw no sign of a. lieat-wave, but the atmosphere was hazy during the latter part of the voyage, and no sign of land was seen after passing tho Cape until C'rfpe Saunders was sighted early on Thursday morning, when a vorv' heavy S.W. gale and heavy sea with met with, moderating somewhat after passing Cape Saunders. Captain Forsdick has the following officers associated with ' him:—Messrs. C. V>. Clement chief; F. W. Bevis, second; John Cairns, third- W. Point, fourth; and P. Backhouse, fifth; 11., Hardwick-Smitli, F.R.C.S., surgeon; R Patterson, midshipman; J. Turner, chief engineer; A. Allen, first refrigerating engineer; and F. Morgan, steward-in-charge. The Orari brought 4WB tons of cargo for discharge at Dunedin, 2023 tons for Bluff, and 89S tons for Lyttelton.

Captain Morrison is at present in charge of tha steamer Squall, vice Captain John Benton, who is on. holiday leave. The Tvsei - Line steamer Star of Australia left for Gisborne yesterday to commence Homoward loading. After calling at Napier, she returns to Wellington about February 1. Captain Jenks, who has .commanded tho Orient liner Orotava for some years past, has been appointed to tho command of tho new steamer Asturias, which left London on Friday on her maiden; trip to Australia. Three hours only separated the barques Trongate and Victor when they left Newcastle on October 1, with the intention of racing to Valparaiso. Over, the Pacific tho two sailers swopt in close proximity, and fifty-two days after tho New South Wales coal port had been cleared the vessels • dropped their anchors in Valparaiso within a few hours of one another.