PAKEHA IN PORT.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1922, Page 4

PAKEHA IN PORT.

LONGEST STEAMER YET BERTHED. BROUGHT IN AT HALF TIDE. Five years ago, on the 21st of this month, the Waiwera, the first liner to berth at the port of New Plymouth, was safely accommodated. Since then, and especially during the last two years, overseas vessels have continued to make fairly regular visits to the port. Last week the biggest, boat to enter the port (the Leitrim, of 9540 tons) was here, whilst yesterday the Pakeha, the fifty-sixth liner to be accommodated since the inception of the oversea service, arrived, and she is credited with being t(ie longest boat to come alongside the New Plymouth wharf. Her length overall is 493.6 ft., although the Leitrim, whose length overall was given as 4S*2ft., was not far behind. The Pakeha arrived off the port at 8 a.m. yestereday from Newcastle. Shortly afterwards Captain W. Waller (harbormaster) and Dr. Home boarded her and, being passed as a clean, ship, she was brought safely alongside, although it was then about half tide and. a strong westerly wind was blowing. The vessel arrived at Wellington on February 28 with 900 immigrants, and then proceeded to Melbourne, Sydney and Newcastle to discharge cargo end to take on coal at the last-named port. The Pakeha left Newcastle on Sunday morning. The passage across the Tasman was marked by strong following winds and high seas, and as the Pakeha was lightly laden, her draught being only 17ft. -fore and 20ft. 3in. aft, the trip across took a little longer than otherwise would have been the case.

The Pakeha. has a wireless equipment of 1000 miles range, and during the passage across was in touch with the Kaikorai, also en route to New Plymouth. The Kaikorai was also feeling the effect of the rough weather. Particulars of the dimensions and equipment of the Pakeha are as follow: Tons displacement, 10,4 S!; tons gross, 7899; tons net, 5065; length 403. Wt. overall, 477.5 ft. (between perpendicu-

lars); breadth, 63.1 ft.; depth, 31.3 ft.; horse-power, 4700; twin screws; coal consumption, 90 tons per day; wireless range, 1000 miles; cargo capacity, 106,000 freight carcases, or 17,000 tons at 40 cubic feet per ton.