HARBOUR FERRIES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 81, 3 October 1923, Page 6

HARBOUR FERRIES

NEW PROPELLERS ON MURITAI

AND COBAR.

t Matters relating lo the conduct of the arbour ferry service were dealt with y the EastbdHirne Borough Council'last evening. The general manager reported that; lights on the wharves at Rona and Day'g Bays had been increased in number and facilitated the landing of paseengerß at night. A red leading light had also been erected at the north end of Rona Bay to assist captains in berthing their ships at Rona Bay. A gauge box had been made and fitted to the Day's Bay wharf to test the rise and fall of the tide for the. use of Mr. R. W. Holmes. ' . ■■■<■ ■. '.'■■

The; Cobar had been reconditioned and had returned-to the service on 19th September. The new propeller was proving |h excellent addition, and the "en-gine-room generally was in .first-class condition. The public had been unanimous in their expressions of approval of the improved appearance, increased comfort,'and. speed of the vessel. The.Cobar ■was able to do 12 knots over the measured mile. .

Thg ■Muritai had been slipped by the contractors on 24th September, and two new phosphor-bronze propellers fitted, both .having been made in Dunedin. Opportunity was taken to scrub and faint- the hull. There was evidence that It would be. necessary, while the plates are new, to slip the. vessel at intervals of no.t more than three months. The Muritai was 'doing excellent service and .was handling very much better. The council have cause for congratulation that the vessel is burning oil instead of coal at the present time. The running costs -were • steadily decreasing. Referring'to. the Muritai's collision ■with rthe Naringa, which occurred some weeks ago, the report stated that the necessary steps had been taken to con-serve-the council's interests, during the permanent" repairs to the Naringa in England.

The Duchess was now berthed at No. 5, Queen's wharf, where the overhaul is ■being.carried out. It is estimated that the work, which includes the installation of a new boiler as well as other replacements, will stake about ten weeks to carry out.

During,the month the Muritai carried 27,953 passengers and the 1 'Duchess 19,162, a total of 47,115. The Muritai's mileage had been 1560 during 104 round trips, with an oil consumption of 78.2 tons for the month, or .75' tons per round trip. The Duchess travelled 2310 miles during 154 round trips, and burned 129 tons of coal, or .83 per round trip. ' t \ A satisfactory increase, was shown on weekly and monthly tickets, and a large quantity of freight was now offering. _ Alterations to the time-table were coneidered at some iength, and it was decided to add a further boat to those running on Friday evenings. Under the present time-table there are only two boats, one at 8 o'clock and j.he other at 10.30, but under the new time-table there will be three—at 8.0, 9.30, and 11.15 p.m. This alteration was made •as the result of numerous requests and-to suit residents working in shops on the late night who finish at 9 o'clock, and previously had to wait for an hour and a half before returning to their homes. " . /