NEW MOTOR LINER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17146, 31 December 1929, Page 7

NEW MOTOR LINER

RANGITATA'S FIRST TRIP

LUXURIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Luxurious accommodation for passengers is provided on the New Zealand Shipping Co.'s new motor-liner Rangitata, which reached Auckland on her maiden voyage from London and Southampton on Sunday evening. Tne vessel is a. sister ship to tho Kangitiki, which has already visited New Zealand waters, and the Rangitane, which left Southampton on her maiden voyage on December 20, and is due at Wellington on January 22. The Rangitata had a full complement of first and second-class passengers, and before her departure from England elaborate arrangements were made for their comfort. One point in which the Rangitata differs from the Rangitiki is that a reduction in the engine casing has permitted the alleyways to be made straight. There is accommodation for 110 first-class passengers in single and double-berth cabins, fitted with bedsteads, oak or walnut dressing tables, wardrobes?"'settees and cane armchairs. There arte outer cabins and Bibby cabins, arranged so that two may be turned into a suite, and there .are private bathrooms, while hot and cold water is laid on to every cabin. The public rooms in the first-class are beautifully furnished. There is tho Adams drawing room, with its greypainted grand piano and soft armchairs. The casement windows overlook the entire width of a lower (lack. Over the mantelpiece is a picture of the Ruins of Uredcrode Castle, after Hobbema. AN ITALIAN LOUNGE The lounge is furnished with armchairs in shades qf pink and gol(d. Marble pillars are let into the walls and there is an oak grand piajio. The fireplaco holds an electric tire, disguised as glowing coals, and over the mantel is a picture of "The Embarkation of St. Ursula," after Claude. The room follows the Italian style in design as well as decoration.

From the lounge, vestibules on either side give access to the smoke-room. Here there is an old-fashioned brick ebininey-place with glowing imitation coals. The room is panelled in walnut, tho tables are of oak and the armchairs are upholstered in red and gold. Doors from tho smoke-room lead on to the verandah cafe and so to the sports deck. Oenerous deck space is provided and at each end of "A" deck, the width is bolt,, about Bft. wider than the main body of the ship. There has been no lack of care in providing for second and third-class p&ssengens. In space and furnishings; the second-class cabins are replicas of those in tho first-class, except! that vlero there is a* single bed in a fcrst-tlass compartment there is, in the secondclass, a bedstead vith one bed above another; where- there are two beds in a lirst-class cabin there are three in the second-class Again there is plenty of deck space and the public rooms include the white-panelled lounge, the oak smokeroom and the white dining saloon, with its tables for four or six. THIRD-CLASS FEATURES The third-class passengers are unusually fortunate. There are. 200 cabins, containing two, four and six berths, and equipped with hand-basins. The dining room is a well-lighted, commodious apartment with tables lor eight passengers each. The room is panelled in oak! Both tho lounge and the smokeroom run almost for the entire width of tho ship and both are comfortably furnished with sofas, upholstered seats and cane armchairs. Passengers have the use of two decks at the stern.

The Rangitata has the largest Diesel engines in tho world. Other ships have engines which produce a greater total power, but it is obtained with four propellers and four sets with smaller but more numerous cylinders. The engines in tho "Rangi" group of ships are twin sets with five cylinders each. Each piston weighs 4| tons and each piston rod 1 ton. 2cwt. A spare piston is carried and in spite of its weight, it can be placed in position at sea if the need arises. The refrigerating machinery is most elaborate. On her maiden voyage the Rangitata is under the command of Captain J. L. B. Hunter, formerly of tho Rotorua. The vessel will remain at Auckland until January 7. _____