THE OLD TASMAN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 362, 24 January 1941, Page 5

THE OLD TASMAN

WHAKATANE'S WEEKLY

STEAMER

BY STEAM TO AUCKLAND

Photographs of Whakatane tOAvn a generation or so ngo Avere almost invariably taken when the Northern S.S. Coys black-and-white panelled steamer "Tasman" Avas at the old wharf in the Strand. "Steamer Day" was the big day of the week for oldtime Whakatane.

AVeek after week for a dozen yean or so the Ta'-inan carried all the cargo and most of the traA r between Auckland and Whakatane. Then in 1922 came the news that the Tasman had struck a rock in the Raurimu islets off Matata, and had gone to the bottom—fortunately Avithout loss of life. She was not replaced by any other steamer, and the shipping company has since maintained its Whakatane service by means of auxiliary scoavs. On steamer day the old Avharf (noAV Miessrs Bridgers furniture factory) would be crowded Avith Pakehas and Maoris. The office of the Northern Company Avas directly opposite the old AA'liarf, and Mr G. A. Brabant was the Coy's agent for many years. Usually the Tasman left Whakatane at the end of the week so that the ship's company spent the Aveek-cnd at their homes in Auckland. The trip up and down took about 24 hours—and sometimes a good deal longer. So passengers had plenty of time to get to know one another. "Everything that Avent into the making of Whakatane tOAA r n and district in the early days came down in the hold of the Tasman. Hoav else could it come? The railAA r ay Avas not opened officially till 1928, and road transport Avas non-existent until recent years. Travelling on the Tasman Avas the popular and cheapest Avay of get-

ting to Auckland. The only other AA'as by coach and later by service car to Rotorua —a day's journey,

then staying the night at a hotel, and on next morning by train. In 1922 the Public Works Department began operating a slow train service between Matata and Tvlount Maunganui, and this became the popular route to Auckland after the Tasman was wrecked. Passengers would embark on the Ngapuhi at the Mount at night and be in Auckland next mornings. Whakatane district residents of the older generation have pleasant memories of trips to and from the Bay on the old Tasman. As ships she was only a little vessel, but passengers had great faith in Captain Faulkner and his men, no matter what the weather was. Sometimes the Tasman would stay most of a day in Tauranga, waiting so as to reach Whakatane at high tide. On some occasions the Tasman could not cross the Whakatane bar, and passengers would be landed by launch, or else the ship would go on to Ohiwa, and passengers would reach Whakatane by coach.'.

Some Whaaktane folk now getting on in years will recall that as school boys and school girls they travelled to Auckland by the Tasman to attend the Grammar Schools, for there was then no high school at Whakatane. Coming home for the holidays was a great adventure. Youngsters with hearty appetites and good sea legs would do good justice to thegenerous meals served in the saloon —all so different and grown-up as compared witli the meal? that mother cooked.

It took a fair sized crew to work the Tasman. There Avas the skipper, tAVO mates, an engineer, tAVo firemen, several A.B's AA 7 ho" took turn at the wheel, a cook, a steAvard find a stewardess. Some of the ship's company w r ere on the Tasman for many years, and so regular travellers got to knoAV them very well. It may Avell be said that an interesting page l in Whakatane's history Avas turned over with the sinking of the Tasman and the cessation of the passenger service by sea to Auckland. Opotiki also had its weekly steamer the "Ngatiawa" a ship someAvhat larger M<on the Tasman. Sometimes Whakatnne folk Avisliing to get to Auckland on urgent business would be taken out in a launch to board the Ngatiawa off the Heads. Gone are the days when the Northern Company's fleet of coastal steamers took passengers up and down the coast of the No*h Auckland peninsula and Bay Sfc-md of these little ships days out of commission i" Roav," where idle ships their moorings ir Aue 11 * TT " bour. Not so the Ta^-» '"died in harness." so «■— v