THEIR OWN VESSEL.

Northern Advocate, 10 February 1920, Page 3

THEIR OWN VESSEL.

POVERTY BAY FARMERS,

INDEPENDENT ENTERPRISE

A.UCKLAND, Feb. 9

•h,e refitting of the Poverty Buy Farmers' Mea'. Company's steamer Admiral Codrington. for the overseas produce, cargo trade from Gisborne is beinu carried out in a very extensive nant.L-r, which is providing a large amount of work for a number cf Auckland firms. It is the largest work of its kind ever attempted at Auckland. It is estimated thaft the installation of refrigerating machiniy in the vessel, the insulation of l.tr holds, and the large amount of other constructional work which is being done will cost about £50,000. Of thai sum a large amount will be expended at Auckland for materia, and labour. A t the present time there are about 300 mechanics and other workers engaged at refitting the vessel. Of that number about 180 are carpenters, shipwrights, etc., 90 are boih-rmakers, assistants, acetone expert and other iron workers, as well as about 30 plumbers and painters. The combined wages total nearly i'2ooo per week. An agreement reached with the boilermakers who had refused to work overtime for months past has enabled work to be carried on up to a late hour each day. j The insulation of the holds and other ' carpentering work will require about . 200,000 feet of timber, while ?00 tons of pumice will be used for pack-

ing. The refrigerating machinery is the ammonia direct expansion system, -md the connections will consist of between 60,000 and 70,000 feet of piping. About seven Auckand firms are supplying material and labour for the work, which is under the supervision of Mr C. J. McCarthy, th<Poverty Bay Farmers' Freezing Company's consulting- engineer. Fror. the time' of starting it is estimated that the refitting of the vessel will occupy two months. When completed she will be capable of carrying

132,000 freight carcases, as well as a large quantity of genesal cargo.

Of the 3i million feet of hardwood timber which the vessel brought from Australia, about H millions have been discharged. The work of discharging the vessel has been somewhat retarded, as the stevedores have Ito regulate tlT'ir work so as not to interfere with th<- refitting of the vessel more than can be helped- It will probably be the end of next week before she is completely discharged.