In 1930, this ship joined the fleet of the Union S.S.Co.of New Zeeland. They installed exhaust steam turbines to increase the speed the speed a maximum of 20 kn. In 1933, she was deployed on the Sydney-Vancouver service and from 1934, the Wellington to Sydney service to create a triangular route. In 1940, she became an auxiliary cruiser of the New Zealand Navy and was converted to a landing ship in 1943, serving in the Normandy landings in 1944. Discharged from naval service in 1946, and after a general overhaul and refit, she returned to the Wellington to Sydney route (see model AL306B)