LUNCHEON ON RANGITANE

Southland Times, Issue 23179, 21 April 1937, Page 7

LUNCHEON ON RANGITANE

Company Entertains Sixty Guests POSITION OF PORT OF BLUFF The New Zealand Shipping Company entertained about 60 prominent Invercargill business men to luncheon aboard the liner Rangitane at Bluff yesterday. The guests took the opportunity of inspecting the vessel, whicn is now on her 21st voyage in the New ZealandLondon, via Panama, service and all agreed that both in passenger accommodation and cargo fadilities the liner is admirably equipped. The guests were received by Captain A. W. McKellar, being introduced by Mr P. Linton Hodge, Invercargill manager of the company. At the captain’s table were the Mayor of Invercargill (Mr John Miller), the Hon. T. O’Byme, M.L.C., and Messrs James Mclntosh, EL F. Drewe, John Gilkison, J. C. Marshall, A. Derbie, N. Porter and Hodge. After luncheon, Captain McKellar expressed the pleasure of the company at the presence of so many guests. He said the port of Bluff had always impressed him very much because of the aspect of the harbour and the large expanse of country behind it, and he had looked on Southland as the most productive part of New Zealand. Bluff was one of the first three or four ports in New Zealand, and it was only necessary to take a motor trip to appreciate what wonderful country supported it Bluff was perhaps a little cold, but against that the hearts of the people of Southland were very warm and their welcome to ships and their officers was well known. He said he had been with the New Zealand Shipping Company all his life and its flag stood for a fair deal for its employees, its clients and everyone concerned. He hoped that the dealings of the company in Southland had been found to be up to this standard. He wished the guests and all clients of the company all prosperity in the future, and expressed the hope that’ the New Zealand Shipping Company would always be well thought of. The Mayor’s Appreciation The Mayor said he very much appreciated the invitation to be present. He remarked that there was always something about dining on board which made the guests wish to go to sleep until the vessel was well on its journey abroad. He was very glad to hear the captain talk so kindly of Southland, and he hoped the New Zealand Shipping Company would always have a fair share of the cargo homeward bound from New Zealand. x Mr Derbie, manager of the Southland Frozen Meat Company Ltd., said that the name of Captain McKellar had been associated with the frozen meat industry of New Zealand for a very long time. Thirty years ago when the speaker was a boy in the office of the Southland Frozen Meat Company and was employed in making out bills of lading, the name of Captain McI Kellar frequently appeared on them. It was pleasing to know that he was hale and healthy and that he was continuing to give satisfaction to his company. He would like to correct the statement of Captain McKellar that Bluff was the third or fourth port in New Zealand by telling him that by statistics it was definitely the third port in New Zealand. Southland exported three-quarters of a million lambs a year. Mr Derbie quoted the following exports from Bluff a year to illustrate the importance o’f the port:—Meat, 21,000 tons; wool, 7823 tons; tallow, 2251 tons; rabbits, 2101 tons; Pelts, 1616 tons; hides, 236 tons; total, 35,028 tons. The total exports from Bluff were 82,700 tons and the imports 61,300 tons. The position of the port in the various industries was as follows:—Meat, third in New Zealand; timber, second; slipe wool, third; greasy wool, sixth; seeds, second; milk, second; fish, third; tallow, fourth. Sooner or later, the Bluff Harbour Board would need to make provision for the increasing volume of commodities handled. While he did not wish to dictate to the board, he felt sure that its members were alive to the fact that they must keep abreast of the times. The representatives of the Government present also should see that the province received its fair share of increased rolling stock on the railways. It was to the credit of the shipping companies that exporters had their fullest co-operation and he believed that the ships were given an expeditious loading at the port. The officers of the New Zealand Shipping Company, Mr Hodge, and his predecessor, Mr L. W. Spencer, had the interests of the company at heart and worked in full co-operation with the exporters. He hoped that the relations between shippers and exporters would continue to be harmonious. Good Facilities at Port Mr Hodge said his company was very pleased with the way it had been treated by the business people of Southland, by the Bluff Harbour Board and the harbourmaster, Captain Haszard. The berthing arrangements and the safety afforded during mooring were highly satisfactory. There was a good railway team operating at Bluff and the waterside workers gave very satisfactory service, although it was hoped that the loading quantities an hour would be improved as time went on. There had been nothing to complain of on the wharf in the way of disputes, but he wished to mention that shunting on the 'wharf was still carried on by the old horse method, which was not calculated to give tourists arriving at the port a good impression.

At the conclusion of the speeches, the captain invited the guests to inspect the ship.