BLUFF TO MELBOURNE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 150, 21 December 1929, Page 10

BLUFF TO MELBOURNE

A SECOND STEAMER

NOT FOR SOME TIME

The Prime Minister (the Eight Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) stated this afternoon that owing to the loss of tho Manuka, the Union S.S. Company will be unable for .some time to provide a second boat for the Bluff-Melbourne service. A conference had taken place between the Government and executive officers of the Union Company, and the whole question had been carefully gone into.

"The proposal is that the s.s. Maheno, commencing with the voyage from Melbourne on 29th January, shall proceed every 21 days to Bluff, Dunedin, Lyttelton, and Wellington in that order, and return from Wellington airect to Bluff, thence to Melbourne, as outlined in the time-table below," said Sir Joseph. "This arrangement is to continue for twelve months from 29th January, 1930.

"As previously arranged, it will be necessiary to withdraw the Maheno for one or two trips during the winter months when the passenger traffic is at its lowest, in order to comply with the annual survey requirements of the Maheno, Wahine, and Maori. Every effort will be made by the company to minimise this time, and provision will be made for the employment of cargo tonnage to arid from Melbourne.

. "It is hoped that the Maheno, with her additional capacity, will fully provide for the passenger and cargo requirements in this service, and that the new time-table will satisfy South Island interests, including tourist connections and the export of fish, etc., from Bluff to Melbourne."

Sir Joseph addeS that the mishap to the Manuka was most unfortunate, especially as the extent to which the service was already being availed of, indicated that it was likely to become very popular, and that it would amply justify its establishment by the Government. Tho following is the proposed detailed programme of the Maheno for January, February, and March:—

MAHENO ARRIVES TO-MORROW. On tho first trip of the newly-inau-gurated Melbourne service, which was to have been run in conjunction with the Manuka, the Union Company's steamer Maheno has reported by wireless that she expects to arrive iii the stream at 7 o'clock to-morrow morning from Melbourne. She will berth at about 9 o'clock at No. 1, south, Queen's Wharf, and is to sail at 5 p.m. on Monday for Lyttelton, Dunedin, Bluff, ana Melbourne.

The Maheno has on board 265 passengers from Melbourne. Her mail consists of 119 bags from Australia 17 from the East, and 69 parcel-recep-tacles.

Melbourne Bluff Bluff Dunedln Dunedin Lyttelton Wellington Wellington Jan, Feb. Mar. dep. Wed. 29 or Thr. 30 Thr. 20 Tin 1. 13 Feb. . arr. Mon. 3 Mon. 24 Mon. 17 dep. Mon. 3 Mon. 24 Mon. 17 arr. Tue. 4 Tue. 25 Tue. IS dep. Wed. S Wed. 26 Wed. 19 Thr. 6 Thr. 27 Thr. 20 arr. Fri. 7 Fri. 2S Pri. 21 Uep. Sat. 8 Bluff Melbourne Mar. Sat. 1 Sat. 22 etc. Mon. 10 Mon. 3 Mon. 21 p.m. p.m. p.m. arr. Fri. 14 Fri. 7 Fri. 28 or or or Sat. Sat. Sat.