TOURIST STEAMER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22596, 8 December 1936, Page 7

TOURIST STEAMER

NEW ZEALAND TEADE

SHAW-SAVILL VESSEL NAME OF ARAWA REVIVED [from OUK OWN COKKKSrOXDENT] LONDON, Nov. 18 All steamship companies have an attachment for the names carried by their old-time famous vessels, and in naming their new one-class tourist steamer the Arawa, the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company arc perpetuating an historic name that has been associated with tho New Zealand trade from i*he earliest days of the direct steamer service between England and New Zealand. The first Arawa, built 011 the Clyde in 1883 for that company, was a handsome ship, with two funnels and clipper bows, and carried a fair spread of canvas to assist the single screw, and for many years held the New Zealand record in both directions. She was oGOO tons gross register—a remarkably large and fast vessel for those days—and for ten years traded regularly to New Zealand, out via Capetown and Hobart and homo via Capo Hern. The second Arawa, built on the Tyne in 1907, was a twin-screw steamer of 9GOO tons, and operated 011 the same route until the outbreak of war, during which she was employed as a transport for New Zealand troops. After the war she resumed her place in the New Zealand trade until 1928, when she was sold.

The third A raw a, of 14,500 tons gross, was formerly the Esperancc Bay, under which name she was popular on the Australia via Suez route as a oneclass steamer. In order to put her on the direct route to New Zealand via the Panama Canal as a more than up-to-date tourist steamer, she has been in the hands of Harland and Wolff for many weeks for extensive alterations to be made. The passenger accommodation haa been completely remodelled, and the cabins fitted and furnished to an excellence far ahead of the present standard of tourist class. The Arawa sails from Southampton on January 22.