NEW STEAMER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22444, 13 June 1936, Page 15

NEW STEAMER

SHAW-SAVILL LINE ESPERANCE BAY PURCHASED lONIC TO BE WITHDRAWN LONG PERIOD IN SERVICE The Aberdeen and Commonwealth liner Esperanee J3ay has been acquired by the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, and has been renamed Arawa. She is to be employed between England and New Zealand in place of the lonic, which will make one more voyage to New Zealand, and on her return to England will bo sold.

Ihe new Arawa is a twin-screw steamer of 14,1/6 tons, and was built, at Glasgow in 1922. During her 14 years' service as tho Esperance Bay she was continuously engaged in the Eng-land-Australia passenger and cargo service, and was a very popular vessel. To meet New Zealand requirements tho passenger accommodation will be extensively remodelled, and in the Arawa's new service her passenger carrying capacity will bo limited to 320, compared with COO when she was in tho Australian trade. She will have many single-berth rooms, and the largest cabins will bo limited to four berths only. Tho Arawa has large public rooms, and the dining saloon can accommodate all paswngers at one sitting. She has a playroom for children. Her route will be via Curacao and Panama. She is scheduled to leave England on her initial voyage to New Zealand next March.

The Arawa has been named after tho Shaw, Savill and Albion Company's former steamer of tho same name, which made many voyages to New Zealand during her 21 years' service. Sho was sold to German buyers for £24,000 in 1928.

The lonic is a steamer of 12,352 tons and was built at Belfast in 1902. She has been a familiar vessel in New Zealand. She has steamed over 1,000,000 miles and has carried thousands of passengers and oror 1,000,000 tons of cargo. On her last voyage to New Zealand sho will leave London on September 24, and when she returns to England in December she will bo withdrawn.