THE UNION STEAMSHIP COMPANY’S ARRANGEMENTS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2681, 9 November 1882, Page 3

THE UNION STEAMSHIP COMPANY’S ARRANGEMENTS.

DUNEDIN, November 8. The three weeks that will be occupied in repairing the damage to the Eotomahana, following her lay up for overhaul, has to a certain extent interfered with the plans that had been arranged for carrying out, the work of the summer season. The Eotorua, which was in Port at the time of the accident, was at once despatched to Melbourne direct, and to prevent any chance of the trade from that port being incommoded, the Decima was re-chartered, and is now loading there in place of the Eotomahana. It has also been decided to place the Albion in commission again, until the arrival of the Hauroto and Tarawera, the former of which should be here about Christmas, and the latter some time during January. The Eotomahana, after her repairs are completed, will probably run special fortnightly trips between Port Chalmers and Melbourne, connecting Port Chalmers with the Eotorua, which -will be despatched at regular fortnightly intervals to Auckland and back, via the East Coast ports. These two vessels will thus form a supplementary service to the ordinary weekly service from Melbourne up the East Coast, and by supplying ample provision for the increase of traffic usually looked for during the summer months, will relieve the ordinary boats of any great strain upon their accommodation. The repairs to the Penguin are being rapidly pushed on, and the new boilers being already shipped, she is expected to be ready to resume her place in the coastal service early in December. The arrival of the Tarawera will enable the Company to carry out a project they have hitherto been unable to execute for want of plant—viz., an excursion to the IVest Coast Sounds on a large and popular scale. This fine new steamer will be laid on for a nine or ten days’ trip to Milford and other of these wonderful sounds at reduced rates, offering to the general public of ail parts of the colony an opportunity of visiting the coast, which they have not hitherto enjoyed. As soon as the Tarawera is available for the ordinary time table running, the company will be in a position to supplement the present fortnightly service to Sydney via Auckland, should the trade in that direction offer sufficient encouragement to warrant the experiment being tried. The Waihora, sister ship to the Tarawera, is expected to reach the colony about the end of March next, and will be followed by the Tafcapuna in August or Septembers The latter is an express boat, 200 ft in length, 32ft in breadth, and of great power, specially designed to run a fast passenger service between Lyttelton and Mannkau, and ber construction has been entrusted to the hands of the well-known Barrow Shipbuilding Company.