AWATEA 1938-42 13,482 gross tons. Lb: 527 x 74 x 25.5 feet. (166.1 x 22.5 x 7.9 metres) Passenger Cargo steamship built by Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Barrow in Furness, England for Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. Twin screw, steam turbines. Max speed 23 knots, service speed 20 knots. 15 September 1936 inugural voyage Wellington - Sydney. Powerful and luxurious, she commenced the trans tasman trade in competition with the Matson liners, achieving the task of beating the 'Mariposa' from Auckland to Sydney where the Mariposa departed some three hours earlier. Awatea passed her mid Tasman Sea, after drawing alonside her, sounding the horn in salute and then racing ahead, all on three boilers only, basically not travelling at full propulsion. 1940 took over the 'Niagara' schedule of trans Pacific route to Vancouver when that vessel was lost during hostilities. Later that year requistitioned by the British Ministry of War as a Troop Transport. Served in European and and North African operations. 8th November 1942 attacked and sank by German bombers when leaving the Port of Djidjelli at Bougie, Algeria North Africa during the Second World War. http://www.flotilla-australia.com/can-oz.htm

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NIAGARA 1913-40 13,415 gross tons, net, dwt. Lbd: 524'7" x 66'3" x 28'1". (159.9 x 20.2 metres) on: 135193 Passenger-cargo steamship built by John Brown Clydebank for Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. Port of Registry: Wellington. Propulsion: triple screw 2x4 cylinder triple expansion plus LP turbine. Service speed 17 knots. Accommodation for 667 passengers. 1931 Canadian Australasian Line Ltd., London. Sailed regularly to Vancouver, British Columbia, from Australia and New Zealand. Mined & sunk 35.53S 174.54E off Bream Head Whangareion passage Hauraki Gulf Auckland (Mine laid by the German auiliary cruiser Orion) when bound for Vancouver 18 June 1940. No loss of life. Note: - Niagara sank in deep water at a depth of 438 feet, in the ships strongroom was stowed nearly eight tons of gold ingots packed in 295 boxes and valued at 2,500,000 pounds being shipped to the United States. The ultimate recovery of the greater part of the gold was one of the most remarkable operations of its kind ever carried out http://www.flotilla-australia.com/can-oz.htm

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AORANGI (11)1924-53 17,491 gross tons. Lbd: 600' x 72'2" x 29'9". (176.8 x 22 metres) on: 148515 Passenger Vessel built by Fairfield, Govan (Yard No 603) for Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. Launched: Tuesday, 17 June 1924 completed December that year. Propulsion: Sulzer 4x6cyldr 2SA Engines by shipbuilder. 3177nhp Quadruple screws 17 knots - 18.24 trials. Designed specificially for the Pacific Service Australia - Canada. 440 first class, 300 second class and 230 third class passengers. 1931 under ownership of Canadian Australasian Line, London. Inaugural voyage 6th February 1925 Vancouver/Sydney. Continued a regular service of Sydney - Vancouver - Victoria BC - Honolulu - Suva - Auckland - Sydney. October, 1940 utilized to carry troops from New Zealand to Fiji. Summer of 1941, requisitioned by the British Ministry of War Transport and steamed from Sydney to the United Kingdom for war duty. Distinguished herself honourably in surviving the second world conflict, having served as a troop ship, supply ship, hospital ship and even an escape vehicle for hundreds of civilians fleeing the war from Singapore, a Commodore ship and ultimately a relief/rescue ship at cessation of hostilities. It was estimated that during the war years, this ship transported 36,000 troops and evacuated 5,500 refugees from war zones. After the war, the Aorangi was returned to her owners and restored as a liner. Returned to service in 1948, but was then plagued by union problems among the stewards and seamen. Competition from Air travel also had impact. Because of demands for higher wages, the liner operated at a loss. She continued to operate with the help of subsidies by the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian governments until June, 1953. The liner was retired that summer, taken to Dalmuir Scotland, arrived for scrapping - 25 July 1953. This ended the Canadian-Australasian Line as an entity with the Pacific route being serviced by Orient Line and P&O http://www.flotilla-australia.com/can-oz.htm

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