NEW SHIPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26026, 14 December 1945, Page 4

NEW SHIPS

UNION COMPANY’S PLANS REVIEW OF OPERATIONS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 13. At the annual general meeting of the Union Steam Ship Company, neld at Wellington, the chairman, Mr G. R. Ritchie, referring to the company’s operations during the 12 months ended September 30, announced that record figures for both passengers and cargo carried had again been achieved. As much as 1,294,500 tons of cargo were transported on the New Zealand coast, he said, including 516,584 tons of coal. A total of 364.000 tons of cargo was carried intercolonially. • The mileage steamed by the company’s vessels engaged in commercial work was 1,116,919 miles for the same period. Referring to the war period, the chairman mentioned that the company had lost seven ships by enemy action. In addition, two vessels of a gross'tonnage of 11,867 tons, which had reached the end of their useful life, had been scrapped in the United Kingdom. Mr Ritchie said it was of rather special interest that the company’s ves. sels had carried over various routes throughout the world during the six years ended September 30 a total of 868.625 troops, 12,900 refugees, 5500 repatriated civilians, #nd 5560 airmen, the last-named in connection with the Empire air training scheme in Canada. During the war period 1,031,234 tons of fuel oil were received into the company’s installations, and delivered as ships’ bunkers, while the company’s laundry at Evans Bay laundered 11,897,276 pieces of linen on account of the company’s fleet and various troopships. New Steamer Express “The new steamer express vessel which it is hoped will be launched from the Vickers Armstrong yards in April next,” continued the chairman, “ will be the first substantial passenger vessel built in the United Kingdom since the war began, and should be due here in good time to take up her running in the interisland service towards the end of 1946. “In addition, the company has just launched from the yards of Robb’ and Sons, Leith, two mbtor vessels named Kanna and Katui, each with a capacity of about 1800 tons, which are due in New Zealand fairly early next year. Another vessel, Kaimanawa, of 3000 tons dead weight, built in the United Kingdom during the war, is still engaged in service for the Ministry of War Transport between the United Kingdom and Germany. It is hoped to have this vessel released about March next for service in New Zealand.' “The company also has on order two vessels with a dead-weight capacity of 3000 tons, suitable for either general cargo or coal,” Mr Ritchie said. “These vessels are being built by Robb and Sons, and should be completed fairly early in 1947. Alexander Stephen and Sons are building a motor vessel wj,th a capacity of 5000 to 6000 tons for the New Zealand-Australian trade, and a licence has been received for a second vessel of this' type. Licences have also been applied for. in the United Kingdom to build three 10,000-ton dead-weight motor cargo vessels with accommodation for a limited number of passengers for the New Zealand-India and trans-Pacifie trades. Early Release of Ships “Plans for all these vessels, with their widely-differing requirements for specialised trades, were prepared by the company’s staff at Wellington,” Mr Ritchie said, “ except for the Kanna and Katui, which, in order to secure early delivery, were taken over by the company after construction commenced. “The company hopes shortly to obtain the release of the troopship Monowai for reconversion for the transtaSman passenger service, pending the introduction of the new tonnage,” the chairman concluded. “The same applies to the Aorangi, which is at present serving with the Pacific Fleet train, and it is proposed to refit this vessel for the C.A. Line Royal Mail service between New Zealand, Australia. and Canada pending the introduction of the new tonnage.” In the face of continued heavily increased operating costs, the meeting adopted the directors’ recommenda-. tion again to confine the payment of a dividend to the preference shares, the rate being 2$ per cent, for the half-year, making 5F per cent, for the year.