EXPRESS LINER

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 117, 11 February 1936, Page 8

EXPRESS LINER

Lady Bledisloe to Christen

the Awatea

LAUNCHING THIS MONTH

Lady Bledisloe will perform the christening ceremony at the launching of the Union Steam Ship Company’s fine new intercolonial steamer Awatea at Barrow-in-Furness, England, on February 25. This information was given to “The Dominion” by the managing director of the company, Mr. N. S. Falla, who returned to W’ellington yesterday in the' Wanganella after a visit to Australia. Mr. Falla said the Awatea would leave Britain in August for New Zealand, and would reach the Dominion in October. L He mentioned also that the company’s new vessel for the islands fruit trade, the Matua, would be launched at Newcastle-on-Tyne on March 25, and would be in New Zealand a few months later. The ship would be equipped with the most modern plant for the conveyance of fruit cargoes. The Awatea, which is intended for the Union Company’s express passenger service between New Zealand and Australia, is being built by VickersArmstrong, Ltd., at Barrow-in-Furness. She will be a magnificently-appointed liner of about 15,000 tons gross register and will have a speed of 23 knots. The Matua, which is under construction in the yards of R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, at Heb-hurn-on-Tyne, will be a fast twin-screw motor-ship of 3500 tons gross register, 351 ft. in length by 51ft. in breadth. The Matua, which will have a speed of 16 to 17 knots, will be specially fitted for the carriage of tropical fruits, and will have accommodation for about 40 passengers.