SHIPPING NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 273, 24 December 1909, Page 6

SHIPPING NEWS

PORT OF NEW PLYMOUTR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24. PHASES OK THE MOON. J DECEMBER. 0 D. H. M. S. t i Lisi (juurlor o 3 4'J IT a.m. c i Now Moon 13 7 3j 19 a.m. D Dec. Quarter 20 1 54 ID p.m. i, Full Moon 2i U ti 21 a.m. „ HIGH WATER j p High water at New Plymouth to-day , 0.30 a.ni. and 7.13 p.m. To-morrow 7.41 jj a.m. and 8.8 p.m. a Si .V Rises to-dny 4.30, to-morrow 4.30. Sets to-day 7.'21, 'o-morrow 7.24. j t ARRIVED. , Thursday.—Moa, s.s., 188 tons, Gib- ( bons, from Westport. ] Thursday.—Corinna, s.s., 1272 tons, \ Cameron, from Southern ports. i Thursday.—Rimu, s.s., 400 tons, Rich- \ ardts, from Wauganui. ; SAILED. i Thursday—Rimu, s.s., 400 tuns, Rica- j ards, for Kawhia, Raglan and One- j hunga. Thursday.—Corinna, s.s., 1272 tons, Cameron, for Onehunga. Last Night—Jtoa. s.s., 188 tons, Gibbons, for Wellington. EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Kotuku, from North, Friday. Rarawa, from North, Friday. Corinna, from North, Saturday. Rarawa, from North, Monday. Rarawa, from Onehunga, Wednesday. Kotuku, from South, Thursday. Kotuku, from North, Saturday. . telegraphic. ARRIVED. Onehunga, Thursday. Arrived, at 10.40 a.m., Rarawa, from New Plymouth. Onehunga, Thursday.—Arrived, at 6.40 a.m.. Kotuku, from Nov, I'l mouth. I

SAILED. Onehunga, Last Night.—Sailed, Koiuku, for New Plymouth, passing Manukau Heads at 5'40 p.m. Oneiiunga, Last Night.—Sailed, at 5.30 p.m., Rarawa, for New Plymouth, passing Manukau Heads at 7.20 p.m. Passengers: Misseg Butler, Whiteside, McAllum, . Ward, Mesdames McGowan, Webber and two children, Griffin and child, ' Gribble, Abbott, Meikle, A; C. Selby, Geison, J. N. Wilson, Wodlloxall, Harris and three children, Messrs Meikle (2), Evans, Selby, J. C. Div>, Yickridge, Wilson, Gribble, McGowan, Griffith, Abbott, Webster, Ferriday, A. C. Mac Donald, Glynes, Harris, E. 0. Thomas, Kev. Wpoloxall and 20 steerage. THE CORINNA. The Corinna arrived from Southern ports yesterday morning with 308 tons of general cargo, including a- large quantity of dried fniita. She left for Onehunga at S pjn. and returns here tomorrow. She remains here till Monday, when she loads dairy produce for transhipment to the Athenic at Wellington. THE MOA. The small coastal steamer Moa arrived from Westport early yesterday afternoon with 127 tons of coal. She left for Wellington at about 8 p.m. THE KOTUKU.

The Kotuku is due from Onehunga to-day and will load a fair quantity of cheese for Wellington for transhipment to the Home liner Athenic. THE KIMU. The Elmu called here yesterday morning from Wanganui and Opunake and left again shortly afterwards for Kawhia, Raglan and Onehunga. THE RARAWA. The joint shipping companies officially state that the Rarawa's present triweekly, running wjll bt;. 'continued throughout the month of January. It is to be hoped that the passenger traflic will warrant a further continuance of the present satisfactory service. The Rarawa. arrives from Onehiinga, this morning and returns this evening. THE KAPITL ,'An expected visitor to the port today was the Kapiti, but v owing, it is understood to not bfcing able to obtain a cargo of coal she lias abandoned the proposed trip and proceeds to Foxton.

HONORABLY RETIRED. Thirty years ago the Orient liner Orient was built to cany passengers from England to Australia "in an aveiage period of forty days." Last month she was retired from the sea, after thirty years' service, arid it is significant to note that now, as in 1870. the voyage to Australia still occupies an average period of forty dayis! Tn thirty years (savs a Home correspondent), firspite all the wonderful improvements in machinery made during that tims, the Australian mail service has stood still in the matter of speed of transit. Tho mail boats still jog along at the leisurely pace they were able to attain in 1870. When you think of the revolution that has taken place in the Atlantic in regard to speed, the backwardness of the Suez mail service becomes positively painful to contemplate. Within this period of thirty years, sail has given place to steam, single screws to twin screws, 'reciprocating engines to turbines, but the Australian mail boats, which carry also the New Zealand mails, still potter along at fifteen knots, as they did thirty long years ago. Is it not preposterous? Even the earjio steamers running to Australia have nearly doubled their speed within the last dozen years or so. The Tyser line boats used to run at eight knots nn hour; now they do their fifteen, aul sometimes beat the mail steamer*. That is the last- humiliation, for .i mail boat to be beaten on a 12,000 'iiile voyage by an unpretentious cargo boni. In fairness one must freely admit thin great improvements in 'the equipment and accommodation of the Australian mail liners have been made in the past thirty years, but these changes do not alter the humiliating fact that as regards speed of transit on this route the world has stood still. The journey takes as long to-day as it did thirty years ago. A pretty commentary this on our boasted modernism! No wonder that. Australia and New Zealand seem far away from England and \"|'A Zealand seem far away from England when it takes as long to reaeh th;m now as it did in 187!).

The Rangatira. which n cable the other day stated had been launched, has been built to order for the Shaw, Savill and Albion Co. by Messrs Workman. Clarke and Co., of Belfast. She is a twin-screw cargo steamer somewhat similar to the Tainui, which is 0057 tons gross, 6288 tons net, with dimensions 477 ft Bin by 01ft lin, nv 31ft. I'll.; Rangatira is to sail from Liverpool in February for New Zealand ports. Tli l old Rangitira, which was recently sold to a foreign firm, was a vessel of 40*4 tons.