AUCKLAND SHIPBUILDING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14532, 21 November 1910, Page 6

AUCKLAND SHIPBUILDING.

THREE VESSELS LAUNCHED. The new steam lighter which has been built for the New Zealand Shipping Company by Mr. C. Bailey was successfully launched on Saturday morning. As the vessel glided down the ways she was christened Kotunui by Miss L. Bailey, daughter of the builder. She is intended for lightering purposes in connection with the new freezing works at Tokomaru Bay, and is expected to be ready for delivery in three weeks' time. There was also launched at the same time from Mr. G. T. Niccoll's yard a new 100ton scow, built to the order of Wilson's Portland Cement Company, which was christened Portland. It is intended to employ her in the cement-carrying trade from Mahurangi to Auckland. The company have five boats engaged in this trade, and they intend to build two more vessels during the next 12 months. A pontoon, built by Mr. G. T. Niccol to the order of the Cleveland Steam Navigation Company, was also launched. She is intended for the purpose of ferrying of ]>assengers from the steamer to the wharf at Howick, when the tide and weather does not permit the eteamer going alongside the wharf there. The pontoon is 30ft long, with a,beam of 16ft, and can carry about 150 people at one time. A trial of the pontoon took place yesterday at Howick, and the experiment proved a great success. A rope was attached to the wharf, the other end of which was made fast to the steamer, and in this manner the passengers were ferried from the steamer to the wharf. The steamer Hirer© carried a large number of excursionists to Howick yesterday, and they were all landed in this way without any danger of upsetting, as is the case when small boats are called into use.