NEW ISLAND SCHOONER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 162, 22 July 1901, Page 5

NEW ISLAND SCHOONER.

CHRISTENED BY THE GOVERNOR.

This afternoon a large number "of prominent citizens and business men gathered at the railway wharf, on the invitation of His Excellency the Governor, in order to witness the formal christening of the Countess of Ranfurly, the new auxiliary screw schooner, which has been built by Lane and Brown, of Whangaroa, to the order oi the Government, for the trade of th» Cook Islands and other islands in thai part of the Pacific. His Excellency has taken a deep interest in the Cook Group and other islands adjacent now under the British ilag, and the present new departure in the way of a Government trading vessel has his hearty encouragement, as it will tend iv a considerable degree to foster tbe trade of those fertile outlyers of the Empire. Lord Ranfurly came up from Wellington specially to christen the new schooner, and on bis instructions invitations were issued to between 70 and 80 Auckland business men and. others for this afternoon's function. His Excellency made a short appropriate speech in christening the schooner with the orthodox bottle of champagne and the guests were afterwards entertained at afternoon tea in tbe large shed on the wharf. 4 Tbe newly built Countess of Ranfurly is a handsome white-painted three-masted schooner of about 200 tons, and her lines, and general appearance are somewhat reminiscent of the well known old Maile (built by the same firm), which was once such a favourite Island packet. The new vessel is loftily masted and carries square rig on the foremast, setting a large area of canvas. In addition to her sails she is to have propelling power in the form of a screw driven by an oil j engine, which will give her a speed "of about eight knots. She is ballasted with seventy tons of iron ballast, and has hold space for at least two hundred tons of cargo. She is also being fitted up for carrying passengers, and will have comfortable cabin accommodation. Captain P. Worsley, late chief officer of the Government steamer Hinemoa, is to have command of the schooner, which . will be manned by white officers and a crew of Rarotonga natives. The Countess is expected to leave here on her maiden voyage early next month, when she will sail for Niue (Savage Island), taking down Mr Percy Smith, Government Commissioner, and will then go on to Rarotonga and the other islands of the Cook Group. She is expected to make about three trips a year to New Zealand.