AWATEA RETURNS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 81, 3 October 1938, Page 10

AWATEA RETURNS

OVERHAUL COMPLETED

Looking spick and span after her overhaul and refit, the Union Company's trans-Tasmari liner Awatea arrived back at Wellington from Sydney today after nearly,six weeks' absence. She brought no passengers. No major alterations hav.e been made to her although there have been one! or two small changes. The overhaul was thorough and extensive, every part of the engines, accommodation, and: equipment having been attended to and put in perfect condition. The Awatea was docked in Sydney and her hull cleaned and painted. Captain A. H. Davey today paid tribute to the company's workmen in Sydney. They did a splendid job, he , said. Within half an hour of the j Awatea's berthing at Sydney a hundred men were aboard, hard at work. A lot of money had been spent on the Awatea and she was now ready to take up the service again. As an example of the progress of science, shipbuilding, and engineering, Captain Davey remarked on the last trip of I'/ Awatea from Wellington to Sydney. The Awatea, he said, had arrived at Sydney about ten hours ahead of the Maunganui, and although she was nearly double the Maunganui's tonnage she had burned 47 tons less oil. He expressed complete satisfaction with the Awatea's performance oh her. run from Sydney on this trip. She had been going as fast as the engines, he said, and there had been less than 2 per cent, of wasted power, which was very good. The Awatea will leave on Wednesday for Sydney.