NEW VESSEL FOR THE FOXTON TRADE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3960, 25 June 1929, Page 3

NEW VESSEL FOR THE FOXTON TRADE.

T.S.S. HIMATANGI TO ARRIVE • TO-MORROW. The T.S.S. Himatangi, the Himatangi Shipping Co., Ltd’s®new ves'sel for the Foxton trade, is to make her initial trip to Foxton to-mor-row. The vessel, which has been in .New Zealand watelrs for the past two weeks, has been undergoing certain structural alterations at Wellington, on the completion of which the vessel sailed for Lyttelton on 'Saturday to pick up a general oairgo. The Himatangi is also bringing the Wellington cargo consigned to Foxton on the scow Kotiti, which is at present laid up with engine trouble. To celebrate the vessel’s arrival the company has invited representatives of various local bodies and others interested in the vessel, to inspect the ship at the local wharf to-morrow afternoon after which they will be entertained to afternoon tea.

The Himatangi was formerly known as the T.S.S. Coolebar and belonged to the North Coast Steam Navigation (Co., Ltd., Sydney, and was employed on coastal work around Australia. She was built in 1911 by the Ardrossan Ship Co.,- of Ardrossan, Scotland, for her former omvers. The Himatangi, as she is now. known, is 150 feet long and has a beajm of 30 feet with a moulded depth of 9ft. Gin. The vessel’s gross tonnage is 479 tons and the net tonnage 223 tons. Propelled by a twin screw, she has an average speed of 8A knots and on her trip across the Tasman, in bad weather, ■she averaged fit knots. Ample accommodation is provided 'by two holds. The fore hatch is 43ft. Gin. by 13ft. 3in. with the following capacity: Ex. hatch, 1442 e.ft.; fore hatch 1444 e.ft. The after hatch is 10ft. Gin. by 13ft. 3in. and the capacity -of this hold is as follows: Ex. hatch 7855 e.ft.; after hatch 383 e.ft., a total over all of 24094 e.ft. The vessel’s light draft is 4ft. Gin. and loaded to the Plimsol ma.dk she requires Bft. 31in. of water. The weight or average weight capacity, is 325 tons and the weight required to add a further inch 'to the vessel’s draft at the Plimsol mark is 8.7 tons per inch. The Himatangi is the biggest vessel that has ever visited the port of Foxton and yet her draft is very suitable for the work in which she 1 will be engaged. The vessel has a deck house aft in front of which is located the aft hatch, then the galley, above which is a winch. The engines are amidships and the newly installed winch is located in front of the bridge and officers’ quarters. The fore part of the vessel is taken up by the fore hold winch, and the men’s quarters. The vessel lias two imasts and a single funnel. The vessel is equipped with the following water tanks: Fore peak tank of 38 tons capacity; after peak tank, 15.5 tons; feed tank aft 14 tons and an F.W. Drinking water tank aft of 710 gallons. Forty-nine tons of coal may be carried, 19.2 in the stajrfcoard bunker, 22.3 in the port and 7.5 tons in the shute and hatch.

The Himatangi arrived in New Zealand waters on June Bth, from Sydney, sighting the West Coast of the South Island and making direct to Wanganui where portion of her cargo of coal, hardwood, and general was discharged. From Wanganui the Himatangi sailed to Wellington where certain alterations were made and the insulation removed from the aft hold. An extra winch was also installed and on Saturday the vessel sailed for Lyttelton and left the southern port for Foxton last night. Captain-mariner Holm, of Messrs Holm and Co., brought the Himatangi. out from Sydney but Captain Stuart is now in command. Captain Stuart possibly knows more about navigating the Manawatu- River than any other skipper to-dav and under his charge the vessel should experience little difficulty in working the port and resuscitating trade.