TASMAN CROSSING.

Wairarapa Age, 7 September 1937, Page 4

TASMAN CROSSING.

AWATEA SETS NEW RECORD.

FINE PERFORMANCE. TWENTY MINUTES CLIPPED OFF* MONTEREY’S TIME. SYDNEY, September 6. The Awatca entered the Sydney Heads at 7.3 o’clock this morning from Auckland, thereby establishing a new record for the Tasman crossing of 57 hours 33 minutes, clipping 20 minutes off the Monterey’s time. After 8 o’clock last night a strong westerly wind rose again, but the Awatea maintained her good time.

There was tremendous excitement on board yesterday, and at luncheon the passengers made congratulatory speeches on the day’s run. Sydney shipping circles took a keen interest in the Awatea’s performance.

AVERAGE SPEEDS. BRITISH PRESTIGE UPHELD. (Received Monday, 11.25 p.m.) SYDNEY, September 6. The “Sun” says the Awatea clipped twenty-two minutes off the record. The log entries disclosed that the average speed for the first twenty-four hours was 23.32 knots, for the second day 22.55 knots and from noon on Sunday until she reached Sydney Heads 22 knots. The “Sun,” in an editorial, says it is satisfactory to all that the prestige of British shipbuilding and navigation has been so finely upheld.