THE TARAWERA'S TRIP TO THE SOUNDS

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 36

THE TARAWERA'S TRIP TO THE SOUNDS

The s.s. Tarawera, Captain W. C. Sinclair, yesterday completed her second and final trip to the West Coaßt Sounds, arriving at Port Chalmers at 11 a.m. Owing to the heavy weather experienced at the Bluff the steamer was a day lato in leaving there, and she is consequently a day behind this trip. With the exception of the time spent in Milford Sound the weather has been splendid throughout — no rain whatever, — and all the arrangements for the comfort and amusement of passengers were carried through most successfully. One lady and nine gentlemen went to the Sutherland Falls, and although the weather was, to say the least of it, damp, the pedestrians spoke enthusiastically of the falls and the many fand varied scenes on the journey. By next season the now track to the falls will be thoroughly completed, and wet or dry it will be an easy matter for the most ordinary walker to undertake the journey. The boating, fishing, and picnic parties were carried out as on former trips, the evenings being pleasantly occupied in a series of concerts, dances, tableaux, fireworks, <fee. The regatta was again held in George Sound, and all the events were closely contested, especially the Ladies' Race. Mr J. N. Williams acted as chairman of the Regatta Committee, and the prizes were disributed by Mrs Williams In the evening the regatta ball was held. Mr Jesse Timson had charge of the musical arrangements, and carried them out most successfully ; while great credit s due to Mr Anthony for the manner in which the tableaux was Btaged. In the.latter Mr Marsden rendered good service with the limelight. The s.s. Maori, which left port Chalmers on the 7th for London, via the north, took from Port Chalmers 741 bales wool, 7 bales Bneepskins, 15 bales bassils, and 1 bale of rabbitskins. The R.M.S. Ruahine, having discharged her Dunedin cargo, took on board 498 packages of butter, 3133 cases cheese, and 17 bales sheepskins, and sailed for London, via Wellington, at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The Crozet Islands, in the Southern Ocean, were visited by the steamer Fifeshire, Captain Pilkington, on the passage from London. On December 31, the vessel was abreast of Penguin Island, distant five miles, and at noon she passed within three miles and a-half of Possession Island. As tending to show the drift of the icepack, the captain states that an immense iceberg was seen to be stranded on the south-east point of Possession Island. A Bharp look-out waß kept for shipwrecked castaways, but none were seen at the islands The Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's steamer Maori left Port Chalmers on the 7th for Lyttelton. During her stay at Port Chalmers she has landed 3700 tons of general cargo in the most perfect order, and taken in a quantity of produce. A very pretty sight in the lower harbour on the 7th inst. was the passing in and out of the ocean steamers Maori and Ruahine. Both vessels are of the largest cla-s, and as they breasted each other they presented a magnificent appearance. The Maori was outward bound on her maiden trip from London ; while the Ruahine came in from the north to land English cargo and take in produce. The barque Star of the East was towed clear of the heads on the 7th inst., and sailed for London with the following cargo : — 2912 bales wool, 133 bales sheepskins, 168 bales rabbitskins, 4 bales hair, 15 bales bassils, 40 casks tallow, 1 fcask pelts, and 276 bags antimony. The barque Himalaya has discharged between 600 and 700 tons of cargo at the cross wharf. During the week ending February 11, 11 vessels, with a total of 6993 tons, arrived at the Dunedin wharves, while seven vessels, registering 4085 tons, left them. The barque Hudson is loading at Napier for London. She had taken some 70 bales on board up to the 6th inst.. and did not expect to make much progress until after the departure of the ship Soukar,- which was expected to leave about last Thursday. The steamer Fifeshire, from Sydney for Oamaru, passed the heads at 9 30 a.m. on Monday. The ship Tarana,ki has taken on board 1472 bales wool and skins. There a»-e also about 100 bales of wool in the sheds ready for shipment. The Union Company's steamer Maori was floated O'it of the graving dock on Saturday morning, and, after readjusting her compasses', sailed for Fiji. Since her arrival at Port Chalmers Bhe has recnvedamostcompleteoverhaul — herbullscraped ins'de and out and repainted, her decks recaulked, and saloon redecorated. Her officers' and crew's quarters have also been cleaned and repainted, and new wire rigging has been fitted, and her engines thoroughly overhauled. Our old friend Captain Garrick, of the barque which is now lying at Oamaru, takes great interest in the matter of an ice chart, which he considers (and justly, we think) should be exhibited at every custom house and mercantile marine office all over the world. The prevalence of ice lately has aroused the attention of all ship masters, and ro doubt a great deal of good would ensue if records of ice were constantly posted. Captain Garrick himself tells us that he passed ice on January 6 180 miles true west of Stewart Island. He was about 10 miles distant off the pack, which appeared to be two or three large pinnacles, and were right in the track of homeward-bound vessels from Tasmania and the Australian colonies. We shall be indebted to shipmasters who will kindly afford us information of their having sighted ice. Either telegrams or letters will be gratefully acknowledged by the Shipping reporter of this journal. The first vessel (an ocean-going yacht) built entirely of aluminium was launched on the canal of St. Denis on the 6th December. Her name is Vendenesse, and her owner is Count Chabannes la Palice. Her length is 60ft, breadth 10ft, dia?lacement 15 tons, and weight of hull only 2 tons Icwt. She takes 1 1 tons of ballast. An English report says :— " Among the numerous little vessels mißsing since the terrible gale of 18th November probably the oldest is the schooner Draper, of Faversh»m, which was built at Woodbridge in 1779, and was thus 114 years old. She is 95 tonß register, and carried a crew of five hands, under the command of Captain Sampson."

Id order to encourage the paper industry, the doty is to be remitted on machinery that cannot be manufactured in the colony.