AUCKLAND NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2927, 20 April 1910, Page 52

AUCKLAND NOTES.

'Fsoii Oub, Own Cobrespondent.) The £.S. Kaipara is still in Calliope Dock, Devonport, and gangs of men are working- day and night on the huge vessel. The dock is lit by electricity, generated by the contractor's machinery, and the boring, riveting-, etc., is worked by the latest class of electrical mechanism. Besides the damage to the hull, there is the renovation of the refrigerating chambers. The last cargo having become putrefied, it was necessary to remove every foot of timber from the frozen meat holds, together with hundreds of bags of asbestos. The timber is being .replaced by first-class heart kauri, and fresh asbestos will replace the old. The work so far has been without a- hitch, and the best of good feeling exists between contractors and men.

Mr Thomas O'Byrne, secretary of the Sawmill Workers' Union, Invercargill, and Mr Joseph Krllkelly, sawmiller, Grove Bush, passed through Auckland on. their way home from Sydney. Mr O'Byrne transacted a "g-ood deal of business in the workers' line while in the Commonwealth, and interviewed a large number of prominent labour men, politicians, and journalists while in the Commonwealth, and is chocked full of industrial ■'information. His impressions will doubtless go a long way "towards moulding the position of the Southland workers.

Auckland business people are greatly exercised over the rumoured intention of the P. and 0. Company to make Wellington and Auckland the alternate ports of call. Some of the passengers by the Malwa came up from Invercargill, while many came from Dunedin, so that it is only fair that southerners should have their interests considered in the matter. Such a long train or costal journey in order to join a Home boat is not encouraging.

The new dredge, the Maui, built ?o the order of the Gisborne Harbour Board, arrived from Glasgow on Sunday, and is now in the graving dock. The dredge is the workmanship of Simons and Sons, Renfrew, and is fitted with all the latest gear and appliances. It is above the .average- size, ,and shows aljl' signs of durability. An inspection and scrutiny of it by the Auckland public is made daily, and engineers express satisfaction concerning £he general " get-up " of the dredge.