TWO NEW STEAMERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 302, 26 November 1912, Page 2

TWO NEW STEAMERS

THE NIAGARA AND WAHINE. THE FERRY BEIfVJCE. “There is vc.y little to report in the development of the company’s ■services,” remarked Sir James Mills (managing director of the Union Steam Ship Company), in conversation with a Christchurch “News"’ reporter i:n Friday morning. Referring to the new steamer for the Lyttelton-Wellington ferry service—the Wahiue- —Sir James said, that good progress was being made in the construction of this ic-'d and she will be dr-hvered seme tine year. The Wahiue. lie said. Was being built to satisfy the increasing demand for up-to-date steamers in the ferry service, and she will take the place of the Mararoa, the service then being carried out by two fine steamers —the Maori and the Wahinc. The- Wahiue will be a turbine steamer, somewhat larger than the Macri, and she will also be a little faster than the Maori. “Thus,” added Sir James, “there will lie tw » fas', up-io--.lai c tori in< steamers running between Wellington and Lyttelton which will c i i a connection with.the early o train from Christchurch to Dunedin. It lias not yet been decided whac will be done with the Ma rare a on arrival of the Wahinc. The other steamer under construction is the Niagara, which is being built fcr the Sydne.v-Aucxiand,Van-couver service. The Niagara will be a vessel of 13,500 tens, easily the biggest steamer in the Red Funnel fleet. Tlie const ruction of the Niagara has been delayed by the industrial troubles at Horn'.' and th t difficulty in obtaining mater' ils. Bh: will be completed about two months behind contract time, hut. nevertheless. tl’e Niagara will leave Heme in time to take up l-ti- running in tin Vanceui er service ; n May next.