SHIPPING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1231, 22 January 1918, Page 4

SHIPPING.

PHASES OF THE MOON. JANUARY. Lost quarter .. .. 5 11.20 p.m. New moon .. .. 13 9.0 a.m. First quarter .. 20 2.8 a.m. Full moon .. .. 27 2.44 a.m. MOON. Moon rose to-day 2.31 a.m., sets 7.32 p.m. TIDE. To-day a.m., 12.2 p.m. To-morrow 0.30 a.m., 12.;">8 p.m. SUN. Sun rose 4.49 a.m., sets 7.32 p.m. PORT OF LYTTELTON. ARRIVED. MONDAY, JANUARY 21. WOOTTON (9.30 p.m.), 150 tons, Larsen, from Wellington. CYGNET (10.5 p.m.), 124 tons, Murray, from Kaikoura. TUESDAY, JANUARY 22. MAORI (8.30 a.m.), 3412 tons, Manning, from Wellington. CANOPUS (8.50), 1337 tons, Sellars, from Westport. SAILED. MONDAY, JANUARY 21. MARAROA (6.45 p.m.), 2598 tons, Cameron, for Wellington. NOTES. The Government steamer Hinemoa arrived at Auckland from the East Coast on Monday evening, and berthed at the Hobson wharf. Captain Bollons reported that the vessel left Wellington on the evening of January 8, and after working Castlepoint, Portland Island, and East Cape lighthouses, arrived off Mercury Island on Saturday, says the Auckland "Star." A search was then made for a reported shoal oil' Great Mercury Island. This was located one mile south-east of the eastern end of the Red Mercury. The shoal was reported to have a five-fathom patch on it, but the least water located by the Hinemoa was 10 fathoms. On Sunday a moderate northeast gale was experienced, necessitating the vessel sheltering under Mercury Island. On Monday the lights on the Watchman and Sandspit were recharged. The Hinemoa left Auckland on Wednesday evening for northern and West Coast lighthouses. She is expected back at Wellington in about three ■weeks' time. The Cygnet arrived from Kaikoura at 10 p.m. last night on a special trip with a cargo of wool and sheep. Reference was made at last week's meeting of the New Plymouth Harbour Board to the shipping of dairy produce by coastal steamers for transhipment to Home boats at Wellington, says the "Post." The reason suggested, that lack of draft made it impossible to load further cargo into a certain liner at the breakweter, was related by the report of the harbourmaster, which stated that the whole of the cargo loaded by the liner at New Plymouth only made a difference of six inches in the draft of the vessel coming in and going out. Captain Waller, who was present, said that there was, when the vessel sailed, a margin of from eight feet to ten feet of water. He said there was no difficulty in handling the largest vessels that had come to the port. Compared with Nelson there was a greater depth of water at New Plymouth at lowtide than there was at Nelson at high tide. It was pointed out by a member of the board that it was ridiculous to aiggest that the amount of produce that could be loaded Into the particular coastal vessel referred to would increase the draft of the liner sufficiently to make it impossible for her to get out with safety, when there was a margin of several feet of water.