PORT OF BLUFF.

Southland Times, Issue 19898, 17 June 1926, Page 2

PORT OF BLUFF.

ARRIVED. —Wednesday, June 16. Mahana, sjb. (Captain Kershaw), 11,796 tons, from Port Chalmers, at 6.30 p.m. VESSEL LN PORT. Oreti, EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Mahana, Liverpool, via ports, to-day. Waikouaiti, Newcastle, June 20. Kamo, northern ports, June 24 Wingatui, Auckland, June 28. Waitemata, San Francisco, via ports, June 30. Lepanto, New York, July 4. Hertford, London, via northern porta, July 5. Karori, Walpole Island, early July. PROJECTED DEPARTURES. Mahana, northern ports, June 21. Waikouaiti, Dunedin, June 21. Kamo, Wellington, June 26. Wingatui, Auckland, June 30. Waitemata, New Plymouth, July 1. Lepanto, New York, July 5. Hertford, Liverpool, July 7. Karori, Dunedin, July. GENERAL NOTES. Yesterday was another wild day with high winds and heavy rain showers. The Theresa Ward was unable to go over to Stewart Island and the Island was advised accordingly. The Oreti left in the forenoon to endeavour to get up to Invercargill, but was unsuccessful and returned to Bluff. The Shaw-Savill Company’s steamer Mahana arrived at Bluff last evening from Port Chalmers. The vessel will complete loading cargo at Timaru and Wellington, and will sail from the latter port on about July 1 for London, via Monte Video and Teneriffe. The Kamo sailed from Napier at midnight on Tuesday for Gisborne, Westport, Dunedin and Bluff, the vessel being due at the last-named port on June 24. After discharging cargo the Kamo will load for Wellington. Napier and Gisborne, via ports. The Union Company’s steamer Sussex is due at Calcutta early next month, and will load for various New Zealand ports. She is scheduled to sail from the Indian port early in August, and will proceed by way of Singapore and Samarang to Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, 'Hmaru, Dunedin and Bluff. The Manuka was due to arrive at Wellington yesterday from Melbourne direct. She will proceed as far south as Dunedin and wiD then be withdrawn from service for overhaul and survey. OVERSEAS STEAMERS. Waitemata (due June 30.) —Left San Francisco on May 20 for Napier, Lyttelton, Dunedin, Bluff and New Plymouth; arrived Napier on June 13. Lepanto (due July 4.) —Left New Plymouth on May 23 for Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Timaru, Dunedin and Bluff; due Auckland June 27. Tainui (due July 22.) —Left Southampton on June 4 for Wellington, Lyttelton, Port Chalmers and Bluff; due Wellington July 12. Tongariro (due July 28.)—Left London on June 9 for Auckland, Wellington, Bluff and New Plymouth; due Auckland July 17. TRI-WEEKLY SERVICE. SWAYNE AND HOYT LINE’S PROJECT. Steamers belonging to the Swayne and Hoyt Lane, of San Francisco, will shortly commence a three-weekly service between Pacific Coast ports and New Zealand. In the past the service has been a monthly one. T)e first unit of the Swayne and Hoyt Line’s fleet to visit New Zealand FB5 the West Narwah, which arrived at ; Auckland in May, 1922, from San Francisco. Since that date the service has been improved from time to time, and all .steamers now make Auckland their first port of discharge, and proceed thence to southern and Australian ports. The steamer to inaugurate the new service will be the West Calera, which is scheduled to sail from Los : Angeles on July 3 for Auckland, Wellington and Lyttelton. She will be followed j bv the Montague and West Islip. One of these vessels will call at Dunedin. MARAROA’S PERFORMANCE. Looking spick and span in her fresh coat of paint and with her internal fittings in splendid order, the Union Company’s passeeger steamer Mararoa recently reentered the Wellington ferry service. She |is replacing the Maori, which has been I withdrawn for the winter period to underIgo an extensive overhaul. Although over 40 years old, the Mararoa is still a very | sound, speedy and comfortable ship, and I while some travellers may find faults, the vessel undoubtedly fills the bill for the winter passenger trade across Cook Strait. Her artistic saloon appointments have lost none of their attractiveness, in spite of her age and service, and the old ship . looks just as comfortableto-day as when I she first came to the Dominion. On her initial winter trip in the ferry service this I year the Mararoa astonished even the most seasoned traveller by putting up a remarki able performance. She cleared the ferry berth at Lyttelton at 7.45 p.m. with over 250 passengers on board. The weather was calm with a smooth sea. In reply to a question by a passenger, one of the engineers stated that it was intended to make every effort to establish a record on that trip. Once clear of Lyttelton Heads, the ship began to cleave through the water like a modern liner. After an hoar’s steaming the log showed that she was reeling off 14$ knots. Still the engineers called for more speed, and before 10 p.m. the engines were revolving at almost full capacity. She was then logging 15 knots. The engineers

were not yet satisfied, and they showed their enthusiasm and pride in their ship as they made their way up ladders and over gratings watching bearings and valves. “More steam,” was the watchword, and more steam was forthcoming. Before 11 p.m. the old ship was logging 15$ knots, and the regular purr of the engines and the smiling faces of the engineers indicated that everything was working smoothly. ’Hie Mararoa averaged 16 knots throughout the night, and berthed at the Wellington ferry wharf at exactly 7.15 o’clock the following morning. The passage from wharf to wharf thus occupied 11$ hours—truly a splendid performance for a vessel which has done such yeoman service during the past 40 years. And she still continues to maintain her fine reputation, as she repeated the initial performance on the succeeding three trips from Lyttelton.

TELEGRAPHED REPORTS. COASTAL AND OVERSEAS. Auckland, June 16. Sailed: Kaitoke for Newcastle; Port Pirie for Wellington. Wellington, June 16. Arrived: Koromiko from Portland; Wahine from Lyttelton; Cygnet from Kaikoura. Sailed: Anamba for Napier; Canadian Conqueror, Koromika and Wahine for Lyttelton; John for Wanganui. Lyttelton, June 16. Arrived: Mararoa from Wellington; Karetu from Timaru; Devon from Wanganui. Sailed: Breeze, Hororata, Holmdale and Mararoa for Wellington. Dunedin, June 16. Arrived: Gate, Kurow and City of Bombay from Lyttelton. Sailed: City of Winchester for Wanganui. London, June 15. Arrived—At Antwerp: Port Victor; at Panama: Remuera. Sailed—From Colon: Port Hobart.