GREAT WELCOME

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19896, 25 March 1939, Page 6

GREAT WELCOME

THE DOMINION MONARCH ARRIVAL AT WELLINGTON NEW RECOEDS CREATED FINE T ASM AN CROSSING (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. After a leisurely voyage across the Tasman, the Shaw. Savill motor liner Dominion Monarch arrived this morning, completing a record breaking trip and pioneering the voyage from England to New Zealand, via Africa and Australia. The vessel was off Farewell Spit at 8 p.m. yesterday and proceeded very slowly through Cook Strait to pas's through Wellington heads at fi a.m. and berth at 8 o'clock at Pipitea. A flat calm and. bright sunshine combincd to make the harbour and city appear at their best. A welcoming fleet of launches, yachts, and skiffs met the liner off Point llalswell. and four aeroplanes flew overhead. Crowds of people and cars assembled at numerous vantage points round the harbour. Another crowd saw the berthing, which was accomplished smoothly with the assistance of the Harbour Board tug Tola., with another tug, the Terawhiti, standing by. The interest manifest in the vessel's arrival was evidenced by the number of motor car s which went out to Scatoun and other bays to see her come through the heads and proceed up the harbour. The fact of it being Saturday released many people who ordinarilv would have been proceeding to work, but even those who do work on Saturday were to be seen craning their necks from tram, tram and bus, or walking to get a glimpse of her as she ncared the wharves and was pushed into her berth. New Route Pioneered The Dominion Monarch is the largest liner in the New Zealand and Australian trade, and the most powerful motor ship in the world, besides being one of the largest and fastest cargo carriers afloat. She set up new records from England to Durban, from Durban to Frcmantlc, and from England to Australia. She came over the Tasman at greatly reduced speed. The new route pioneered by her covers nearly 14,500 miles; yet she made the journey in under 35 days. No attempt was made to try out the power and speed of the ship, the engines being run throughout the passage at reduced revolutions, but the alloted timetable was maintained with ease. She left Southampton on February 18, called at TenerifTe three days later, and arrived at Capetown on March 3, and Durban March 5. Leaving there the next day, she covered the 4244 miles to Fremantle in 8 days 21 hours 54 minutes, the average speed being 19.84 knots. The actual steaming time from Southampton to Frcmantlc was 23 days 17 hours 22 minutes, an average of 19.42 knots. From Frcmantlc to Melbourne she averaged 20.04 knots. Exceptionally fine weather was experienced across the Tasman from Sydney, and for much of the time she was running two engines only. DISCONTENT AWIONG CREW NO OFFICIAL STATEMENT (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Discontent said to have existed among the crew of the Dominion Monarch since she left Southampton, culminated at Sydney in the dismissal of 14 stewards. No reason was given by the officers or the company in Sydney, and tlv* Wellington representatives of the company to-day declined to comment. The ship's executive officers emphasised that the first voyage was a period of settling down and that full attention would be given to the complaints. A reception arranged for Wednesday has been cancelled. It will be held when the Dominion Monarch returns to Wellington.