THE UNION COMPANY'S FLEET.

Timaru Herald, Volume LV, Issue 5516, 19 September 1892, Page 4

THE UNION COMPANY'S FLEET.

(Dunedin Star.)

We understand that the Mararoa ib Bbortly to emerge from her winter quartors m view of the summer poseonger traffic. Sho is new being docked and overhauled, and will commence to run on the Ist October, making fortnightly trips between Sydney, Wellington, aud Lyttelton. 'i'bo Monapouri, which has also been laid up for some timo at Port Cholmerß, iB to be placed m commission about the middle of October, replacing tbo Tekapo, which will probably ho laid up during the summer. The Mararoa, Manapouri, and several other of the company's steamers, are to be fitted with manganese bronze propellers, which will increase their speed materially. Tho experiment of using manganese bronze propellers was tried last season on the Uotomahana with very successful results, cnabliug ber to maintain a speed of sixteen knots, and waß m all respects so succeesful that it wob decided to apply these propellers 1

aa coon aa possible to all the passenger steamera m tbo company'a fleet. Tbo company'a fast steamor Oonah, whioh tradoo between Sydney aud Hobart, is now m the hands of Mort'a Dock Company m Sydney, undergoing extensivealterations and a thorough overhaul, at a oost of some £5000. Among other improvements, she is to be fitted with topgallant forocastle, wbioh will furnish very much improved second-class accommodation. With these improvements and the now manganese propeller with wbioh she is to be fitted, tho Oonah is expected to be one of the fastest boats m tbe Australian colonies. Principally with a view to providing for the comfort of passengers, the Mararoa, Wairarapa, and Waihora have already been fitted with refrigerators, end machines ore now on the way from Homo for other of the company's steamers. Io anticipation of the summer trade, too, it is intended to reduce the fareß throughout the company's service. The fares from Melbourne and Sydney to the first ports of call (whioh were somo years ago £10 Baloon and £6 steerge) were reduced m 1890 to £8 ond £5 respectively, while laßt year a further reduotion to £7 and £3 10s was made, saloon return tickets being issued during the Bummer soaßon at £10. Further reductions are now to bo made ot tbe commencement of the proaent season. The Baloon faro will probably be £5 and the second class £2 10s from Melbourne and Sydney to first porta of oall and vice ■versa, with return tickets at proportionate ratea. It is further proposed to run frequent steamera at still lower rates as occasion requires ; while through fares and fares on the coast are to be proportionately reduced.