UNION STEAMSHIP COMPANY. New Vessels Fitted for the Frozen Meat Trade. Dunedin, September 2.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 66, 6 September 1884, Page 3

UNION STEAMSHIP COMPANY. New Vessels Fitted for the Frozen Meat Trade. Dunedin, September 2.

The Union Steamship Company are still adding to their magnificent fleet of vessels. Before the close of the present year three new steamers will have arrived in NewZealand waters, and taken up the trades for which they have been specially designed. Two of these, the Ohau and Taupo, have been built to the order of the Company by Messra Denny Bros., of Dumbarton, specially for carriage of cargo, and they will, in conjunction with the Omapere and Mahinapua, be engaged in the cargo trade of the East Coast of the North Island, and West Coast of the Middle Island. The dimensions of each are : — Length, 200 feet ; breadth, 32 feet j depth, 16 feet 3 inches; and they are designed to carry 1,000 tons of cargo on a light draught. The Ohau will be fitted with a refrigerating chamber capable of storing 4,000 sheep, and she is intended to convey frozen meat from the smaller ports at which refrigerating works are in operation to the main ports, for transhipment to direct eteamers for Home. This service will meet a want much felt, and will be a great boon to those ports at which Home steamers do not call. The third steamer, expected this year, is named the Tekapo, and comes from the ship- building yard of Messrs R. Steele and Co., Greenock. Her dimension**" are— Length, 291 feet; breadth, 38 feet,and depth, 26 feet 2 inches ; with a gross tonnage of 2,350 tons. She is calculated to carry 3,200 tons of cargo. This vessel will be employed in the New Zealand and Sydney service in conjunction with the Wakatipu and Hauroto, and is designed to meet the growing requirements of the Company's coal trade, and to assist in carrying on the increasing produce trade between this colony and New South Wales. It is probable that when the Tekapo is fairly launched in her trade, the Company's ships will make monthly trips to Brisbane, with a view to assist in developing a trade between this colony and Queensland. With the outlets for our produce which Queensland offers, and the supplies of her sugar which we are prepared to take, we have the nucleus of trade between the colonies, which should grow into respectable dimensions, and warrant the experiment which the Union Company appear disposed to try. In addition to the vessels already noticed, Messrs Denny Bros, have in hand an oider for two further steamers for the Company. One of these is a large passenger and cargo steamer for em ployment in the ordinary intercolonial service. She will be of greater dimensions than any vessel of the present fleet, measuring 320 ft. in length, 40ft. in breadth, and 32ft. in depth, and is intended to steam 16$ knots per hour on trial. She will have large passenger accommodation, and will be fitted throughout in a most handsome and luxurious manner, excelling in all respects even those beautiful steamers, the Manapouri and Wairarapa. The other boat on order will be a large cargo-carrying vessel, measuring 300 ft. by 40ft., and with carrying capacity of 3,000 or 3,500 tons. She will be similar in design to the Hauroto, and will be engaged in the same trade. Her arrival will enable the Company, with the assistance of the Wakatipu, Hauroto, and Tekapo to complete their arrangements for a weekly service between New Zealand and Sydney via Cook's Strait.