FERRY SERVICE.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 October 1923, Page 4

FERRY SERVICE.

MAORI CONVERTED INTO OILBURNER. DUNEDIN. Sept. 29. An oil fuel plant for firing her boilc-rs has been installed on the ferry steamer Maori at Port Chalmers. The work of converting her furnaces and lining the nil tanks has occupied several weeks ami having been completed to the satisfaction of the officials, about 100 tons of oil fuel was pumped into tlie tanks yesterday from the freighter Waikawn.

The conversion of the Maori into an oil burner will surmount past difficulties of supplying the ship with had coal, and wili also do away with other faults associated with a eoal-bti; long ship. The Maori will leave Port Chalmers about October 17th to resume ber tun uiug in the ferry service and it is expected that she will make some Ltd trips under her new fuel. It is probable that the ferry steamer Wahine may also stabilise her limetable l.y having oil fuel appliances installed at Port Chalmers, when she arrives there to undergo overhaul in about three weeks’ time. The Pott Chalmers’ workshops arc said to hold a cost and efficiency record in the matter of converting cralburuing steamers into oil fuelers. At the close of the war several New Zf alaud steamers were converted to < - fuel. Some of this converting vas done in America. Against the miencans. Port Chalmers easily held its own iu the matter ot cost, and in legat'd to efficiency honours were •tqtml. with (he port of Otago leading m the front tankers. The result ot that <rodilable performance is that Port Chnlmer> is evidently destined to do any further converting of New Zealand steamers,when. piLillf!.. '.q’AsJitlons are "to lie substituted for coal.