ORIENT LINER

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 33, 8 February 1935, Page 4

ORIENT LINER

VISIT TO WELLINGTON

OTRANTO DUE TOMORROW

With some 500 tourists on board, the Orient liner' Otranto will arrive at Wellington tomorrow morning from Australia, via Auckland, and will berth at^the- Pipitea Wharf. She is on her first" visit-.to New Zealand, ond is the second Orient steamer to come to Wellington this summer on a cruise from Australia;; . •

■ The. Otranto, an oil-driven steamer of « r 20,P0O; tons register, built / at Vickers''. Shipbuilding Works at Barrow, • was; specially designed for the1 Australian mail service. She is planned to'carry ;two classes of passengers only, and accommodates approximately 500 first-class ; ; and 1000 third-class travellers;

The "Ship has remarkably fine public rooms.and. luxurious cabin accommodation, i.but:a specially noticeable feature is the vast area of deck space available for recreation and exercise. The firstclass dining saloon is approached from a-spacious foyer, designed, en suite with the-dining saloon; in a free English classic manner; the lofty centre part is. carried up the height of two decks and decorated by broad pilasters supporting a deep enriched cornice'and ornamental ceiling. : The centre ceiling panel has a group of sculptured lowrelief figures representing "The Flight of the Planets," the work of Messrs. Martyri, ,bf Cheltenham. Below the cornice and between the pilasters in the wtell is a series;of perforated bronze grilles, forming a frieze, with classic figure groups in low relief representing various subjects from the Iliad. These grilles are the work of the well-known;-sculptor Mr. Richard Carbe.

' Thesdiriing saloon and foyer -are i decorated >in cream and grey with goldenb'bfonze panels and mirror frames. The electric light fittings are in keeping with the general scheme of the decoration, and have been designed by Mr. Walter Gilbert. The lounge, forming a centre of social .life on board ship, is planned at the head of; the-grand stairway and has access to B deck on both sides. Communication with the "dining saloon is by electric lift and by the grand stairway. It is a spacious room,, nearly 2000 feet in area, with bow windows on port and starboard sides. The scheme of decoration here is a free rendering of traditional (English character.; Sienna marble columns and door architraves are used with charming effect,.■■ making a contrast in the general colour scheme of cream , and.., gold. The ornamented plaster ceiling forms a feature of this room. Small painted panels of decorative figure subjectsare introduced with happy result, this being the work of Mr. Paulsen Townsend. .

The writing-room is a restful salon where a note of elegance is struck by the quiet decoration.,. The walls are wood- panelled betweeriVthe supporting columns aria pilasters, and.blue lacquer panels with 'Chinese figure decoration are cunningly intrbduced-^the work of English artists. The Chinese feeling is, echoed in-the carving .to.the caps of the columns and p'Uasteßsi?and also in ;the; jeJectric^ight'jitttings^The -iurniture; and "tfarpete; are'^designed in harmony with theyroonv^ %- ;