SLOW VOYAGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23619, 1 April 1940, Page 12

SLOW VOYAGE

MISHAP TO MOTOR-SIIIF LOSS OF ONE PROPELLER ORANGE SHORTAGE RELIEVED After a delay of more than a fortnight in reaching port, caused hv the loss of a propeller on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal, an overseas twinscrew motor-ship arrived at Auckland vesterday. The vessel s cargo includcti n large shipment of oranges from Jamaica, a consignment which will now be. 011 the market in time to prevent alnio.il a complete exhaustion of supplies. The delay in the cargo's arrival has resulted in a serious shortage of the fruit and it is expected that by to-day only a few of the larger retailers will any of the old stocks. The motor-ship was due on Match 14, hut, ill view of the mishap, this schedule was amended to provide for an arrival next. Thursday. Faster time than anticipated enabled the ship to complete the voyage four days earlier. Following the accident temporary repairs were effected in the Panama Canal Zone, but the long Pacific run had to be made on one screw. Nominally capable of .15 knots, the ship made the crossing at approximately halfspeed. being nursed to avoid undue strain on the remaining propeller. It is assumed that the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, was referring to the vessel when lie stated recently that, owing to an unexpected delay in shipping arrivals, supplies 'ol oranges, which were expected on the market before Faster, would not arrive until earlv this month. J Mr. Nash said that Jamaica was practically the only suitable Kmpuc source at this time of the year. On receiving intimation of the unloitun ate shipping delay, ho continued, inquiries were made in Australia and elsewhere, but it was ascertain tli.it there was no possibility of securing supplementary supplies.