OVERHAUL OF MARAMA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20343, 26 August 1929, Page 12

OVERHAUL OF MARAMA.

WORK COSTING £IO,OOO.

ALTERATIONS TO SALOON.

ENGINEERING TRADE BENEFITS. The engineering trado in Auckland is benefiting by tho increasing tendency of shipping companies to have marino repairs carried out at Auckland instead of at Port Chalmers or Sydney. A caso in point is that of tho Union Company's passenger steamer Marama, which is undergoing extensive overhaul at. Central Wharf, and the company's cargocarrier, Kurow, which is being overhauled in the stream. Tho Marama's overhaul is to cost approximately £IO,OOO, and the work being carried out on the Kurow will also run into somo thousands. An average total of 120 men-is engaged upon tho Marama each clay.

In preparation for her triennial survey it is customary to carry out a thorough overhaul of the Marama once every three years. Tho cost of this work has been augmented in tho present case, however, by certain alterations being effected to tho first-class dining saloon. For tho sake of appearance tho builders fitted tho saloon with portholes of tho square typo, the glass being set in ornamental window-frames. Tho constant vibration of tho ship, caused by tho engines, has had tho effect in the course of years of loosoning these frames in tho steel plates and a decision was made this year to have all these old-typo ports replaced with plain circular ones.

Tho plates carrying the old square ports havo been removed and new ones inserted bearing tho familiar round ports. Tho work has engaged a largo staff of rivetters* and has already occupied ten days, but all tho ports in tho saloon havo now been replaced and work is confined to the finishing touches. Tho interior wood panelling will bo renewed and the entire room repainted in a modern soft-colour scheme, giving a very pleasing appearance.

In addition to tho structural alterations and complete renovation of the saloon, the entire passenger quarters are being overhauled and ropaintcd. Renewals are being effected to the ship's galley, and general overhaul of tho machinery in tho engineroom is in progress, together with tho oil and fresh-water tanks. The steamer will be repainted throughout. It will be necessary for tho vessel to go into dock for painting and examination of tho hull during tho coming month. Present arrangements allow for her recommissioning about October 8. She will resumo the Sydney running from Wellington, then continuing her usual practice of making alternate trips from Auckland and Wellington.