FIRST SHIP AT POINT HOWARD.

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 36, 13 February 1930, Page 4

FIRST SHIP AT POINT HOWARD.

It was an eventful day in the Hutt Valley last Thursday when the Texas Company's great oil tanker "Australia" opened the new wharf at Point Howard. Carrying the largest cargo of oil ever brought to this country, t&e great ship arrived in port shortly be: fore 9 a.m. and attracted much attention as she passed up the eastern side of the harbour to Lowry Bay. The strong northerly gales of recent weeks Jiad fortunately given way to a fresh westerly wind which" enabled the^ahip, with the assistance of the Harbour

Boards tug "Tpia" under the. diree^ tion of the Capt. J. E. Dawson, to iaake a safe mooring at the \ new w&arf. No time was lost in connecting up with the Texas Company's i 6in. discharge pipes and transferring the two million gallons of motor spirit into the new oil tanks on Seaview Road, at the rate of 400 tons per hour, xt seeais to us a pity t&at the oppdr-, tunity of attending this important function was not extended to all members, of -locaf ■) bodies in the Htrtt y alley," marking, as it did, a new era of industrial . development not only for t&tis district,.".but for the wh«le of New Zealand. INSPECTION OF THE SHIP Lator in the day, at the invitation of j Mr E. Z. Kanla, managing director in. New Zealand for the Texas Company, a large number of representatives of the mercantile and skipping community of .Wellington visited the Australia. Those present included the chairman of the Harbour Boardi. (Mr J. W. McEwan), tlie general manager and chief engineer of the board (Mr J, Marehbanks), and the secretary (Mr A. &. Barnett), Mr W. Nash, M.P., (Hutt), the Mayors of Petone, Lower Hutt and Eastbourne, managers and officials of tlie principal ship- > ping companies and many others. In parties the visitors were conducted over the monster ship, whose size, appointments, propelling machinery and up-to-date appliances for dealing with her huge cargoes of nearly 6,000,000 gallons of motor spirit, greatly impressed every- j one. The ship is remarkable for tlie excellence of the . accommodation of -the ship's company.' . . j

■• The Australia has ten main cargo tanks and twelve "summer" tanks for the carriage of motor spirit, a hold forward for 'l dry cargo, four tanks for engine fuel, oil, the tanks being separated from the engine-room and the hold by two copper dams, The most elaborate precautions are taken against the danger of fire.

Seen from the Petone beach the Australia bulked huge in the.landscape and from (certain parts of the* city she was plainly visible across the harbour, The handling and berthing of so great a ship in what is a relatively remote cornier at> the -head of the harbour,. is a testimony of the capacity of the port of Wellington. There is no lack of water at Point Howard for a ship of the size of the Australia even if she were fully loaded. .. :"• ■■■■..-'• ■•.'■'•"' ■ "

.The visitors were entertained at an informal luncheon on board the Austra-' iia, . 1