DELAYED SHIPPING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 261, 23 July 1918, Page 6

DELAYED SHIPPING

ONLY TWO DEPARTURES FROM

WELLINGTON YESTERDAY

Yesterdav brought nn abatement of the fierce southerly gale Mint has so generally interfered with dipping in Now Zealand. As far as Wellington was concerned, the day was unsuitable for working cargo on account of the heavy rain, and the departure of most of tho ship* which were ready lo sail was postponed until the seas in Cook SI rait were less furious and the (pile showed signs of subsiding. Tho only departures yesterday were the Pntoena and the Maori.

One of the Union Company s largest colliers, which Mt her berth at 0.10 a.m. yesterday for Wostporl, did not go farther than tho entrance, but returned and anchored in the stream at 8 a.m.

The Manuka, which was due here yesterday afternoon from Sydney, did nor arrive, the reason no doubt beins that she was sheltering until (his morning, so as to niak" the trip through tit" Strait in davlhrht. She will berth at No. 1 Queen's Wharf on arrival. In conscciuenco of her laic arrival it is doubtful if the Manuka will go on to Lyftolfon. The vessel is advertised to leavf> for Sydney and Ilobart at G a.m. on Friday.

The Riople had not arrived hero last night from GH'orne, from which port she was at inidnnrM forty-ei<rnt hours out. She has probably sought shelter somewhere along the const.

Sheltering IHiind Mana or Kaniti Islands is (inu'itl»ss th" whornnbmits of the John, which left Wanganui on Sunday night for this port. If she ninV"' norl in pood time to-day she will load for TVierfin and Oame.ru.

On the West Coast shipping is considerably affected, and in view of the shortage of coal the delay may be regarded as serious. A telegram reee-'ved by the Union Company yesterday staled that the TCamo. Kini, Kavamu, and Poherna were all bar-bound at Greymonth. and the Tvahika and Kotiri were sheltering at Wcstport. The small steamer Defender is also bar bound at Greymonth. The Rosamond loft Oishorne on Salurday at noon for Wellington direct, but Napier was sought for shelter on Sunday. A telegram slates that the Rosamond sailed again for Wollin"tnn at 7.30 a.m. yesterday. The vessel calls here for bunker coal only, and later goes to Picton and Onehunga.'

The Ivoutunui, which left Napier for Wellington on Thursday night, is reported to have returned to (he former port on Sunday morning. She is expected here later in the week.

Both the Piitea boats—the Waverley and the Hawera—have been sheltering at Wanganui since Thursday. The Rarawa, which left. Onehunga for New Plymouth on Thursday afternoon, anchored inside the Heads for the night, and returned to Onehunga on Friday, having had to abandon any attempt at crossing outward. This is the third unsuccessful attempt made by the Rarawa during the week to leave. Manukau Harbour. Mr. C. Hanson, the manager of the Northern Steamship Company, states that in his 32 years' connection with the company he had never before known the west coast steamer to be held up at Onehunga

for so long. Tho Wairau Bar has been in such a bad state for some time past that at different limes the Wairau and-Opawa have had difficulty in reaching Blenheim. The present galo has had the effect of silting un the entrance to the river, with the result that the Opawa is bottled up there. In the meantime her crew has boon paid off. The Wairau, which has been tied up at Wellington for six days, is to sail as soon as possible tor Ptcton to discharge a fall cargo. The Harbour Ferries. The. Wellington harbour ferry boats have had a trying two days of i|. Full services were run yesterday, but under great difficulties on the eastern side, where the strain on the mooring hues kept near to the breaking point, ihe Duchess ou Sunday broke three, ol her lines, which means'to the Eastbourne Borough. Council an expenditure ol £i each for new ones-New Zealand hemp at that.

A THOUSAND TELEGRAPH POLES FOR NORTH CANTERBURY. The effects of the severe snowstorms in North and West Canterbury have been so disastrous as far as tho Post and J elegraph Department is concerned that it is impossible to compute tho cost at tho present time. What is known however, is sufficiently serious to enable, the authorities to conclude that 1918 has, so* far, been one of the most unfortunate years in the history of the Department, for tho havoc wrought by tho big storms which have occurred in Canterbury since July 1 follows hM-d upon the heavy expenditure incurred in the Raetilu bush fire of a few months ago. though details aro still lacking, and cannot possibly bo available until the weather abates in the south, tho Departments officers have already had occasion to requisition a thousand.new telegraph poles to replace those which have been rendered useless 'by tho dc«<stßt™B storm. Of tho thousand needed MO have already been supplied by (he Public Works Department, aud others will bo supplied as thev can be secured. . Ono interesting feature, in respect to tho effects of the storm is the test that, has resulted in regard to the relative merits of the different kinds of poles tot were muse in the North Canterbury district, ft bring about such a te»t the Department had suspended,its wires from Rangiora northwards on alternate ironbark and reinforced concrete poles, it vas found that the reinforced concrete poles in the area, severely affected by to storm had all broken up. and lay about the ground in twisted ruins, whereas the &nDark poles stood the strain w, - out a break. There were places, it was discovered, where the wooden poles had been pulled wholly or partly, out of the grounS by the enormous.strain pu: upon them, which strain would not huvo been nearlv *o great had the concrete poles hold -firm. The test could, have been move severe, and the result has proved that, under the conditions esnencPnced the ironbark poles are certainly superior in every respect. deferring to the work of the men who have been endeavouring tor over a fortnight past to effect restoration of the fines the Secretary of the Department Mi W E, Morris) informed a Dominion representative that it was impossible.for r/eoole who sit cosily by their firesides to realise- tho hardships these men were enduring. They had to travel lon.g distances in snow-covered country, picking up and disentangling the wires as well m thev could in freezing temperatures, and tako what shelter they could find, which was sometimes of a most primitive character, Tho Chief Telegraph Engineer MrTPhrimpton) had been personally on the job nearly the whole of the tune and under tho circumstances the work which had been done was praiseworthy in th On C pttv two East Coast and two West Coast wires were again working, and thanks to tho loyal co-operation, of tho operating staffs, the work was being Zee? wHi satisfactorily The outlook at noon on Saturday was, however, pretty Wnck as the Government Meteorologist ad advised the Department ot the apJroac of another southerly "ft™, which vould probably mean a further fall of snow over the already affected areas.

THE PRESENT OUTLOOK MORE BAD WEAMER. The pi went outlook is not bright ac- ,,, " P -,e oiiioial forecast. Southerly' wind* nom strong to galegenerally urther s'on ii. tut ■ .- . and o" t'" v :>'' ,f:V " F ; -JK tso,t - h Wand.Ve to k expected, ihe barometer is rising. _