THAMES RIVER TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 248, 19 October 1891, Page 5

THAMES RIVER TRADE.

THE S.S. PAEROA.

A TRIAL TRIP.

On Saturday afternoon tho new ecraw steamer Paeroa, builb by Mi , C. Bailey to the order of tho Hauraki Steamship Company (Messrs Brown, Geddes, Syms, and others), for the Auckland - Thames River trade, made her official trial trip in the harbour prior to taking up her regular running, and the occasion was taken advantage of by the owners to invite a large party of friends on board for a tew hours' outing, and as what might be termed a "ship warming." About 150 ladiee- and gentlemen responded to the invitations, and the little vessel was quite crowded with passengers as she. left the Queenstreeb Wharf gaily decorated with bunting and 'flowers. A detailed description of the steamer was published by tho Star ab the time of her launching, bub since then she has been completely and elegantly fitted up on deck and below, and id would be hard to find a mors convenient and comfortable little crafb. She has been constiucted with the greatest care and faithfulness by Mr Bailey, whose skill as a shipbuilder is widely known, and the owners have spared no expense in equipping her suitably for her trade. She is engined by Messrs Price Bros., of the Thames. The steamer, after leaving the wharf, steamed across the harbour and took up the marked course for tho measured mile trip. She performed this run both ways, with-and against wind and tide, and sue* ceeded in doing the trip at fche good rate of S& knots per hour, fcihould she maintain this rate of speed, as it is probable she will, in the Thames running, she should prove a very convenient and smart packet for the service. Mr Johnson, Government Inspector of Machinery, was on board watching the result of the trial trip, and he expressed himself as very highly pleased with tho boat and her machinery. After her trial spin at ordinary speed, the Paeroa proceeded on a run down Rangitoto Channel, as far as the Lake Beach and the Beacon, affording the excursionists a fine outing and a wholesome sniff of the " briny," during which an excellent luncheon was served to the guests. Retracing his course, Captain Bettis then steered down Motuihi Channel as far as Emu Bay, Mofcutapu, and then ran back and landed the passengers for half-an-hour's run on shore at Motuihi. The steamer lay alongside the wharf there long enough to enable those on board to inspect the Quarantine Station and stroll around the beach, and then embarked all for homo again. On the passage up to town the gentlemen on board gathered in the saloon in order to. celebrate in a fitting manner the maiden trip of the Paeroa. Mr P. A. Philips opened the proceedings by proposing the toast of the health of " The Owners " of the new steamer, and in. doing so referred in very eulogistic terms to the enterprise of those gentlemen in going to such expense to place a fine and commodious boat on tho Upper Thames trade. The toast was drunk with cheers and musical honours. Messrs Herman Brown, J. McK. Geddes, and Captain J. M. Syms responded on behalf of the Hauraki S.S. Company, saying that they had every confidence in the future of the districts of the Upper Thames, and relied on ample support in the trade for which the Paeroa was constructed. The health of " The Builder" was the nexttoasb honoured, Capt. Syms proposing, and Mr Charles Bailey responding. Mr Bailey acknowledged the nice things said aboub him as builder, and said thafa all thab the Auckland shipbuilders needed were more men like Messrs Brown, Geddes, and. Syms, ready to expend capital in tho furthering of local trade and industry. The toastof "Success to the s.s. Paeroa" was then honoured. Mr L. Ehrenfried, who proposed the toaat, spoke of the difficulties he experienced in travelling up to Paeroa nearly a quarter of a century ago, and contrasted the boats of those days with the fine vessel on board which they were that day. Mr J. M. Geddes proposed the toast of "The Engineers," which was responded to by Mr Dobbs, on behalf of Messrs A. and G. Price, of the Thames, who were unavoidably absent. "The Ladies," "The Press," and other toasts were also honoured, and the health of "Mr-Tom Sullivan," the well-known sculler, who waa on board, was drunk enthusiastically. Mr Sullivan, in replying, said that he was in good hopes of pulling off the Championship of the world in hi 3 forthcoming sculling match with Stanbury. ' The final toast was "Success to the Township and Dietrich of Paeroa," proposed by Captain C. Kohn, who expressed wishes for all sorts of good fortune for the Upper Thames and Paeroa trade. At 6.30 p.m., the excursionists were landed at the Queen-street Wharf, after a very pleasant and enjoyable afternoon's outing. This evening the Paeroa leaves on her maiden trip to Paeroa, with a special party of excursionists. On Tuesday evening a concert and ball is to be hold at Paeroa in honour of the occasion, and the steamer will return to town on Wednesday. Captain Betfcis, who will run her in this trade, has been succeeded in charge of his former steamer, tho s.s. Ruby, by Captain N. Svendsen, formerly of the schooner Louie.