H+-1&

*' Vestria," in 1945, and bought in 1949 by the Northern Steamship Co., Ltd. An almost similar ship, " Viria," has been surveyed and operates on charter in the intercolonial trade on a New Zealand certificate. This vessel cannot be transferred to British Registry, so long as she is foreign-owned. Small vessels carrying passengers or cargo and plying on rivers, lakes, and harbours have been augmented during the year by fourteen others. Seventeen surveyed vessels have been re-engined. An extensive conversion and refit of the Government motor vessel " Ranui " has been made to fit her for tropical service under the control of the Department of Island Territories. This work, in accordance with past Government policy, has been carried out by the Naval Dockyard at Auckland. Dry-dock congestion at the Port of Auckland has continued throughout the year. The figures given below show that during recent years the demands on existing Auckland dry-dock accommodation are steadily increasing and that if the rate of increase is maintained it will be necessary for the Port of Auckland to provide additional dry dock facilities soon.

From Ist January, 1950, ships registered in New Zealand have been fully surveyed periodically, as required by the Shipping and Seamen Acts. A partial suspension of surveys was permitted as a wartime relaxation under the Shipping Survey and Deck Cargo Emergency Regulations 1943, which have now been revoked. In some maritime countries while passenger ships must be fully surveyed by a Government agency, cargo ships may be partially surveyed by a private classification society. The legislatures of New Zealand, the United States, and some other countries, however, in requiring that there shall be a full Government survey for every ship irrespective of whether she carries passengers or not, subscribe to the principle that there should be only one standard for safety of life at sea without distinction between the lives of passengers and crew. After forty-five years' service as a passenger ship engaged for many years in the Wellington-Nelson service, the " Arahura," of 1,608 gross tons, has been permanently withdrawn from service and sold to shopbreakers at Wellington. " Arahura " was built in 1905 by Denny Bros., the Dumbarton shipbuilding firm which built most of the earlier New Zealand passenger steamers. Apart from minor mishaps, the active career of " Arahura " has been successful. She was one of the very few remaining coal-burning passenger ships. The successor to " Arahura " will be the twin-screw steamer " Ngaio." She is the former American steamer " Hualalai," of Honolulu, and was built in 1929 by the Bethlehem S.B. Corp., Ltd., San Francisco, Cal., for the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., Honolulu, for tropical service. She is 3,566 gross tons, by British measurement, and is driven by geared turbines of 4,000 shaft horse-power supplied by steam at 280 lb. per square inch from four oil-fired water-tube boilers. " Ngaio "is undergoing extensive alterations at Wellington for a certificate of survey to carry 234 berthed passengers and 35 motor-cars on deck in the Wellington-Nelson service. The passenger and crew accommodation will provide higher standards of spaciousness and general comfort than those of earlier ships in this service. Careful consideration is being given

11

Port. Percentage of Total Tonnage of New Zealand Ships Dry-docked for Annual Survey. 1947-48. 1948-49. 1949-50. Wellington Auckland Lyttelton Port Chalmers 40 • 5 39-0 11-5 9-0 45-0 40-0 40 110 33-2 53-6 7-2 6-0