BUILDER OF SHIPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 155, 29 December 1938, Page 11

BUILDER OF SHIPS

TOUR OF DOMINION

FAVOURABLY IMPRESSED.

(Special to the "Evening Post."}

AUCKLAND, This Day.

After travelling half-way round the world from Scotland, Mr. Henry Robb, managing director of Henry Robb, Limited, shipbuilders, of Leith, is enjoying the unusual experience of finding three of the vessels built by his firm in port in Auckland together. They are the: Richardson Company's new motor-ship Kopara and the Port Tauranga and the Port Waikato, of the Watchlin Line.

1 Mr. Robb, who is accompanied by his wife and daughter, went to Australia primarily to witness at Sydney the trials of the South-Steyne, which his firm recently built. This vessel is now in the Sydney Harbour ferry service, and with a capacity of 2000 passengers and a speed of 17£ knots, she is considered to be the fastest ferry boat in the British Empire.

Mr. Robb came on to New Zealand early in November aiM since then has visited most of the main centres in both islands. His firm has many interests in this country, for, in addition to the vesels already named, it built the Kahika for the Union Steam Ship Company, and the Puriri, now on her way but, for the Anchor Shipping Company. Further,, the 3000-ton twin-screw Diesel vessel Karitane was launched from the firm's yards for the Union Company last Saturday. Mr. Kobb expects the Karitane to leave about the beginning of February and to arrive here in March.

Asked about the condition of the shipping industry in Britain, Mr. Robb said that a great deal of work was being done for the Admiralty! His firm had built three vessels for the Admiralty this year, the last of them being completed this month.

His firm is formed of a combination of three shipyards on the Leith, and has nine building berths! It builds for all over the world, and this year launched a vessel for each month of the year, the aggregate tonnage being 10,900.

This is Mr. Robb's first visit to the Dominion, and he has been most favourably impressed both with the country and with its people. "Nobody could have experienped greater kindness than we have had everywhere we, went," he said:. They greatly enjoyed the scenery through which they passed in both islands. After spending about a week in^*Auckland, Mr. Robb purposes to return to Wellington, whence he will finally leave on This way back to Scotland.