NOW A MOTOR-SHIP

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21506, 22 June 1935, Page 23

NOW A MOTOR-SHIP

COASTAL VESSEL NIKAU Paying her first visit to Wellington as a motor-ship, the 26-year-old twinscrew coastal vessel Nikau arrived on Wednesday morning and went on the patent slip for cleaning, painting, and final survey. In her time the Nikau was a popular vessel in the Nelson ferry service. Besides being one of the smallest units of the Anchor Company's fleet, she is one of the oldest; she was built at Glasgow in 1909 by Mackie and Thomson, Ltd. She is just more than 120 feet in length. After leaving the Nelson service when the bigger vessels were introduced, the Nikau ran for a number of vears in the company's cargo services. In May, 1931, she was laid up at Nelson, and it was not until July of last year that she was disturbed, being towed to Wellington by the Kaitoa and placed on the patent slip for inspection of her hull. She was subsequently returned to Nelson, where she was converted into a motor-vessel. Her boiler, which was in remarkably good condition, was obtained for use in the Eastbourne ferry steamer Cobar. The passenger accommodation of the Nikau has been dismantled to make way for bigger hatches, and the carrying capacity has been greatly increased as a result of the conversion from steam to motor propulsion.