SHIPPING

Evening Star, Issue 17234, 26 December 1919, Page 6

SHIPPING

THE FERRY SERVICE. The Mararoa arrived at Lyttelton at 10.20 a.m. to-day from Wellington, and mails and passengers connected with the second express for the south. lIUAHINE AT AUCKLAND. The New Zealand Shipping Company's liner Ruahinc arrived at Auckland on Christmas Eve from London via Teneriffe, Cape Town, and Hobart. In addition to troops, the \»essel brought general caTgo for discharge at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin. She, is due here about the second week in January.' ICELAND LEAVES NEW YORK. Cable advice has been received stating that the steamer Iceland has left New York for Auckland, Wellington, I/ytteltoa, and Dunedin. The vessel is due at Auckland about January 20, and at Dunedin, early in February. NAVIGATION ACT REQUIREMENTS Under the new Navigation Act, concerning the manning and equipment of vessels on the Australian coast, overseas ships. unless provided with special license, will be una.ble to continue "thj»ir usual practice of carrying passengers between various interstate ports, as the rates of pay and general conditions on board the oversea l ? vessels will differ considerably from those obtaining on Australian steamers running m accordance with the new Act. On P. and 0. liners and vessels of the Japanese Nippon Ynsen Kaisba colored labor is used, and rather than conform to the new conditions, which would entail sweeping changes, it is likely that these companies will discontinue their present practice of taking interstate passengers . unless this portioa of the Act is repealed. RECONDITIONING THE OLYMPIC. The work of reconditioning the White Star Line Olympic is now proceeding apace, the vessel having returned to her builders, Messrs Harland and Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, for complete renewal. The owners ara.,toking the opportunity, while the Olympic is at Belfast, to make arrangements, sua-gested 'by experience, in the interest of her passenger? and nothing will be left "undone to add to the attractions of this fino steamer. It is hoped to place the Olympic in commission again nearly next spring, and she will then return to the Southampton-New York service. AMERICAN SEA TRADE INCREASES. Official figures recently been published rsierring f"> the proportion of American ocean-borne exports carrier! in the ships of various -nationalities. They show that whereas m the month of July. 1918, Brtish ship 3 carried over 45 per cent, of tbe.se exports, and American ships only 20 p-er cent., in the eamo month in 1919 American vessels actually carried more than the British, the figures being 34, as against 55 per cent.