MOVEMENTS OF UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY'S FLEET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9390, 1 April 1892, Page 1

MOVEMENTS OF UNION STEAM SHIP COMPANY'S FLEET.

Thursday, March 31. Lyttelton—Mararoa arrived 7 a.m. from Port Chalmers; sailed 9 p.m. for AVellington. Takapuna arrived 7 a.m. from AVellington ; returns 6' p.m. AVakatipu arrived S a.m. from Oairaru. AVellington—Grafton arrived 9 a.m. from Nelson. Mangana arrived 9 a.m. from Lyttelton. Nelson—Rotorua arrived 9.30 a.m. from AVellington ; sailed 11 a.m. for Picton. AVestport—Mawhera arrived 3 a.m. from Nelson. Brunau- a,n-i/ed 4_._i. _"_ou_ Nelson. _> The following names were omitted from the passenger list of the Mararoa for the north :—Mr Robert Cadzow, Mrs Cadzow, Miss Agnes Cadzow, Mr A. M'Kay (from the Peninsula). The s.s. Janet Nicoll left the Jetty street wharf at 6 a.m. yesterday for Auckland, via Oamaru and the East Coast ports. The s.s. Tarawera steamed down to Port Chalmers at 6 a.m. yesterday. She embarked passengers and mails in the afternoon, and left for Melbourne, via the Bluff and Hobart. The s.s. Omapere steamed up from Port Chalmers yesterday, and landed cargo at the Rattray street wharf. The German barque August Burchard is expected to be all clear of her Dunedin cargo to-day. The barque Laira is getting well on with her loading for Fremantle. She offers excellent accommodation for a good number of passengers. According to recent advices, the barque Thurso is loading at Mauritius for Dunedin. The "Guide" states that the N.Z.S. Company's barque AVaitoa left London on March 10 for Dunedin. H.M. second-class gunboat Swinger, which has recently returned to England from this station, has been condemned as unfit for further service, and the Admiralty has ordered her to be sold out of the service. The Swinger was built in 1872-3 at a cost of L 15.888, and first hoisted the pennant for active service on Septembur 29,1873. She has been almost continuously employed on active service, having completed five commissions abroad. A sum of about LIB.OOO has been expended since her construction in keeping her in a sea-going condition. Santos still continues in an insanitary condition, and the British Consul at that port has suggested that no ships for the present should be chartered for that port. The ship Opawa, having completed the discharge of her cargo and taken in her stiffening ballast, was towed down to Port Chalmers yesterday afternoon and berthed at the export pier. The s.s. Tarawera left the George street pier yesterday afternoon for Melbourne, via the Bluff and Hobart. Tbe s,s. AVareatea, having been cleaned and repainted, was floated out of the graving dock yesterday afternoon. The s.s. Omapere, from AVestport, via Oamaru and intermediate ports, arrived at 7.10 a.m. yesterday, and after taking on board at the Bowen pier transhipments for Timaru ex Duke of Sutherland, she steamed up to Dunedin. She left AVestport at 7 p.m. on the 24th ult.; called at AVellington, Lyttelton, Timaru, and Oamaru, leaving the latter port at midnight of the 30th ult., and arrived as above, having experienced moderate winds and fine weather throughout the passage. The s.s. Pukaki, coal laden from AVestport, arrived at Port Chalmers at 3.10 p.m. yesterday, and steamed alongside the hulks at the Bowen pier to discharge. She left AVestport at 10 p.m on the 28th ult., had fine weather to Banks Peninsula, and from thence strong southerly Winds. Piracy is not yet extinct in the South Seas according to a press correspondent at San Francisco, who states:—"James AVhite, a stowaway, from Honolulu, on the steamer Australia, tells a remarkable story of his adventures in the South Seas. Last May he deserted from an American ship in Sydney, and shipped on schooner for a trading voyage among the islands of the Pacific. Soon after leaving the Australian coast guns were brought up from the hold, and AVhite was told they were to be sold to islanders. The vessel carried a crew af 15 men, commanded by Captain Cotton, a Southerner. At the first place where the vessel touched five young girls were forcibly abducted. The natives pursued in a canoe, and. when near the ship they were fired on. Six or eight were killed, and the canoe was overturned, and the rest were devoured by sharks. Two weeks later the vessel touched at another island, and in a fight with natives one of the crew was killed, and the mate's arm was broken. At another island a lot of sandal wood was stolen, and the schooner was chased by a French gunboat, but got away. At Guaham Island AVhite deserted, and was taken to Honolulu by the brig Madrono."