SHIPPING NOTES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 963, 13 March 1917, Page 11

SHIPPING NOTES.

After ;i very smart run of 42 hours up fnmi (iisborne. the ponder schooner iluia arrived :;t Auckland on Friday afternoon, under command of Captain McKcuzie. As" usual, the liuia will load explosives at Auckland ex an overseas vessel due there shortly, hut prior to that she will prohablv make another trip down the coast with general cargo. Captain J. A. I.obb, who joined the hulk Hannah Nicholson as master for the row up to Wellington, left the vessel yesterday. Mr J. 1). Hamilton, assistant purser of the Corimia, left the vessel at Wellington. .Mr J. S. Melville, chief engineer cf the H'.mitnngi, came ashore at Wellington. Mr A. 1.. Falwell has joined the vessel as second engineer. The Arahura. which arrived at Auckland on Friday last from Gishorne, completed the journey under her own steam. The Auckland "Herald"* says:—"She docs not look as badly damaged as would be expected, and she made the trip nearly as quickly as at ordinary times. All parts alvove the deck amidships have been strengthened with angle irons; the damage resulting in the flooding of the vessel is Cft below the belting, where a hole was made and several plates damaged. Wlule the boat was on the beach at low water, plates were riveted inside the hull, and" the space left was filled with cement. Above the deck the chief damage done was to the butcher's shop and to the chief cock's cabin. The latter place was stove in, and the cook had" a wonderful escape. On Thursday next the Arahura is to go into dock- The work ef repairing the overseas liner which collided with the Arahurn at Gi>l>onie is going on apace, and she is expected to be ready for sen soon." The following arc the particulars of the Priestman grab dredge which has been purchased by the Patea Harbour Board from the Hiverton Harlxmr Board for the sum of £.T>OO:-Length, X2ft, breadth 22ft, draught when loaded aft, capacity of hopper 80 tons. The dredge, which is built of steel, is capable of loading and discharging 240 tons of spoil per day. and was built in 1913-11 In accordance with specifications supplied by Messrs Priestman Bros., Ix>ndon. She is fitted with a Priestman grab dredging crane of the latest pattern, with steam winches for ' crane and hopper door. Its cost was originally £5700, but it is stated that were the material procurable it could not now be built under between £BOOO and £9OOO. It Is practicalby a new boat, having done barely twelve months' work. The reason for its disposal is that Uie work for which it was obtained has been completed, and the Riverton. Board have therefore no further use for It: lis purchase at £3300 by the Patea Har liour Board is looked upon by those in a position to judge as something in the nature of a "giltedged" Investment for the Patea Harbour rati payers, it is expected Unit it will arrive in Patea in about a fortnight's time, when it wiU immediately commence the work of clearing the fairway. The Flora, which reached Auckland on Friday morning from Rarotonga, had an uneventful trip round the Islands. She brought 3800 cases of bananas, 3G22 eases of oranges, 96 cases of lemons, and 318 cases of kumeras. When the st«-amer Claucus leaves Wei liugton on Friday next for Bluff, she will wear a somewhat changed appearance to that when she arrived here a few days ago from Surprise Island. When she made h.T appearance first her hull was painted black, but during her stay in port she has been painted a light grey. The Auckland cutter, Janet, of 22 tons register (slates the "Herald"), which was built in Auckland in 1875, and has been trading out of that port ever since, has been sold by her owner (Mr E. Parris, of Auckland) to Captain Bose, of Auckland. It is understood that the vessel has been bought for the South Sea Islands, and is to leave for there in about three weeks* time. The reason why oversea freights are high is forcibly illustrated in a letter received by Messrs Lane and Dawson, of Sydney, by the last mail in connection with the char tcr and subsequent sale of the Norwegian steamer Titania. This vessel, a cargo carrier pat and simple, well known in the Australian trade, was secured by Mr Madrigal, au American, for a long time charter, and he was fortunate enough to have the option of purchase at £23.000. This option he exercised, and resold the steamer to Norway for £200.0(10. In the meantime he madtji very handsome prolit on the charter, ly estimated at £IOO,OOO. The charterer orijr iually secured the vessel at the rate of :! »; per ton. He lost on the first year, but made an enormous turnover following the outbreak of war. It is interesting to note that while the Titania was originally chartered at 2/fi per ton. the rate for old Jannese boats' delivery in Japan was recently 42,0 per ton, the charterer paying war insurance.