COASTAL TANKER

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 68, 17 September 1927, Page 11

COASTAL TANKER

ARRIVAL CELEBRATED

To celebrate tho arrival in Wellington of tho British Imperial Oil Company's now coastal tanker Paua, which is, incidentally, tho first tankor to fly tho New Zealand flag, a number of representative citizens inspected tho vessel at tho Clyde quay Wharf yesterday afternoon as the guests of the company, and were aftorwards entertained at afternoon tea. Those present included the Minister of Marine (Hon. G. J. Anderson), the Mayor (Mr G A Troup), Mr. R. M'Keen, M.P., Captain J. Dawson, Messrs. A. G. Barnett and C. M. Turroll, representing tho Harbour Board;. Mr. C. M. Luke (Hospital Board), Messrs. N. S. Falla, A. W. Wheeler, J. Smith, and Captain Foster (Union Co.), Mr. W. Cullen (Chief Inspector of Machinery), Mr. M. Myers K.C., and Mr. S. M'Kenzie and many others. '

Both the Minister of. Marine and tho Mayor referred to the company's initiative in fostering the ' oil industry in New Zealand and thus making possible reduced prices for fuel and oil In reply, Mr. T. Nicholson, the company's representative in New Zealand stated that prior to 1926 the Dominion was non-endowed with facilities for tho distribution of oil, but with the arrival of the Paua she was not only in lino with countries which had been handling oil for twenty years, but actually ahead of them. Ho mentioned that New Zealand was the only daughter Dominion owning a coastal tanker,' and emphasised that the advent of the vessel was a sign of the confidence the directors of the company had in tho country's