SOLD TO THE EAST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22020, 1 August 1933, Page 14

SOLD TO THE EAST

UNION COMPANY'S KATOA LAID UP IN WELLINGTON. It is understood that the Union Company's steamer Katoa, which has been laid up in the stream at Wellington for some time, has been sold to Eastern buyers. It is not known yet (says the Evening Post) when she will sail. The Katoa is one of the.many Union Company vessels' which have been acquired by Eastern buyers in recent years. The Waipori, Whangape/Karori, Koromiko, Kittawa, and Kauri were all sold in 1928, the Kaitangata and Kaiapoi in 1929, the Kaituna and Kamona in 1931, and the Waitemata, Kurow, and Waitorao this year. The Katoa is the fourteenth of the company's vessels to be sold for service in the Eastern trade. The Katoa, which was one of the Union Company's best known traders, was built in 1912 by Osbourne, Graham, and Co., Sunderland, and is a vessel of 2484 tons gross. Her principal dimensions are: Length 298 ft, breadth 45.3 ft, and depth 20ft. The Moller Line, of Shanghai, are the owners of four former Union Company steamers, and have also bought a number of old vessels in Australia. One of their recent acquisitions was the Kurow, which was bought in May and sailed last nioPth for the East, via Australia. She was rpnamed the Mabel Moller, and When she left Newcastle.on July 2 she was accompanied by the Ethel Moller, ex Duckenfield, which had also been bought .by the Moller Company. On arrival in the East the newlybought vessels are thoroughly overhauled, many replacements being made, with the result that an additional 15 years' service is obtained from a ship about 20 or 25 years old. The smaller steamers in the Moller Line's trade are used in the North China coastal service, in the carriage of coal to Japan and Manchuria, and in the Burma trade. The larger vessels go further afield where cargoes offer. Captain R. A. Young, was was in command of the Mabel Moller, stated when he was in Auckland in June that trade on the China coast fluctuated considerably, but that it appeared to be gradually .increasing. There was plenty of cargo offering, but freights were low. An improvement in conditions seemed to have started, however, and there were indications that trade would be better in the next few months.