‘First’ ferry would fit on modern vessel

Press, 19 February 1986, Page 12

‘First’ ferry would fit on modern vessel

By

JOHN LESLIE

Four Australians travelling in the comfortable Picton rail ferry Aratika asked me about the origin of the service between New Zealand’s two main islands.

The Union Steam Ship Company’s small steamer Penguin (749 tons gross), tragically lost in Cook Strait 77 years ago, was probably the spearhead of regular Lyttelton-Welling-ton and Plcton-Wellington services.

The Union Steam Ship Company was founded in Dunedin in 1875, and soon afterwards its nucleus fleet branched out with a weekly service, linking Dunedin, Lyttelton, Wellington, Picton, and Onehunga, with their vessels Hawea, and Taupo.

This was certainly no ferry service as we know it today but it was a regular link between both Islands for passengers and cargo.

The Nelson’s Anchor Company, founded much earlier in 1862, under the name of Nathaniel Edwards and Company, was not only New Zealand’s oldest registered shipping line, but ran small ships, carrying passengers and cargo, between Hokitika, Greymouth, Westport, Nelson, Blenheim, Foxton, Wanganui, and Wellington.

Later on, the Anchor Company’s noted Cook Strait vessels Nikau, Kaitoa, and Ngaio, changed all this and became almost household words in Cook Strait. By 1909, a Wellington-Nelson service was solidly established. By the early 19305, the larger, well known Matangi and the first Arahura, the latter formerly owned by the Union Company, were well entrenched and provided an excellent service.

A later, much larger, American-built passenger steamer, also named Ngaio, (formerly Hualailai) entered the service in mid-1950. In 1953, the Nelson-Wellington passenger service ended. Today, the Picton-Well-ington ferry is the only passenger service left. It is unrecognisable from the early days. The modern Scandinavian ferries reflect long building experience but history records that other countries built ferries earlier.

The paddle steamer Leviathan which crossed the Firth of Forth for almost 40 years from 1849 onwards, was the first in this field. It had a most unusual linkspan to cope with 20ft tidal variation. The building of the famous Forth bridge was the deathknell of this link.

In the early 1880 s the then extremely progressive Union Company launched a regular passenger and cargo service in New Zealand.

Again, this was not yet a ferry service, but it linked Greymouth, Westport, Nelson, Picton (as required), and Wellington. The Penguin seems, however, to have been the most prominent vessel in linking the two islands. She had an interesting background and a tragic end. Clyde-built in 1864 for the Glasgow-Liverpool service, she was bought by the Union Company 15 years later and initially used for passenger excursions from Dunedin, to Milford, Dusky, and Doubtful sounds.

Hazy mention is made in records of the vessel plying a Nelson, Picton, Wellington service even before the turn of the century. By 1895, she was certainly making once-

weekly voyages between Wellington and Lyttelton and these were increased to thrice-weekly, late in 1896. For this the ill-fated Penguin is generally regarded as the forerunner of the former, world renowned steamer express service, between Wellington and Lyttelton. From 1897 until 1902 the Penguin served on the Melbourne • Strahan (Tasmania) service, and then came back for the Wellington, Nelson, Picton service.

The hardy little vessel’s tragic ending was well recorded. At 9.45 p.m. on February 12, 1909, bound from Picton to Wellington in filthy weather, and under the command of an experienced shipmaster, Captain F. E. Naylor, she struck what is believed to have been Tom’s Rock, near the Karori Stream outfall, on the rugged North Island coastline. She was torn open. Seventy-five passengers and crew died, 30 survived.

The only female survivor, Mrs J. Hannam, of Nelson, lost her four children and her husband in a disaster which shocked the country. Mrs Hannam, who was pregnant at the time and later had a son was a heroine. -

The shipmaster had his certificate suspended for a year, but his conduct was reported to be in accordance with the finest seafaring traditions. Wellington was plunged into mourning for a large public funeral, attended by many prominent people.

The main cause of the mishap was an exceptinally strong flood tide. Cook Strait is, however, always an unpredictable waterway, particularly so before the days of radio, radar, and echo-sounding devices.

Even today, illinformed, over-confident people still trifle with this hazardous stretch of water, ignoring the advice of those with years of experience including older seafarers who would be the last to stifle adventure.

Before the vessels of recent years — the rail ferries, Aramoana, Aranui, Aratika. Arahanga and Arahura (2) were considered — other vessels relieved on the route; played a minor link at one time as did the first Rangatira. The term “ferry” is a misnomer. Many years ago, a prospective passen-

ger from Wellington to Lyttelton shied at the thought of a “ferry” crossing. He had unpleasant memories of seasickness in a “ferry” in his own country abroad. He was informed that our “ferries” were indeed pocket liners, and all was well. . The Union Company heeded this sort of reaction and all staff, afloat and ashore, were told that the “ferry” service was to be referred to always as the “steamer express.” The name never really caught on, but officially for a time the new term was used. Some years ago with the, assistance of “old salts” the following list of vessels which have served the Wellington-Lyttelton run from : earliest days was drawn up, not necessarily in rigid sequence. It includes the Penguin, Pateena, Rotomahana, Moana, Tarawera, Mararoa, Maori (2), Wahine (2), Rangatira (2), Hinemoa, Tamahine, Matua, Monowai (2),

Awatea, Manuka, Mapourika, Te Anau, Marama, Maheno, Arahura (1), Mokoia, Moeraki (possibly), Matai (Marine Department), Takapuna, Rotorua (not to be confused with the New Zealand Shipping Company’s former, larger, five-masted steamer) and even Huddart Parker’s former Westralia which must have made a special trip. Many of these vessels were “ring-ins” to cope with passenger surpluses, notably Monowai (2) Awatea, Maheno, and Moana. Even a rail ferry appeared at Lyttelton. Apart from the services mentioned, there were probably other, smaller, vessels, which made irregular trips between the islands, at some stage in our early history, including sailing craft a bit rugged for passengers. Inter-colonial passenger vessels, New Zealand and Australian, travelled coastwise and trans-Tas-man also.

When the Aramoana inaugurated the roll-on, road and rail service in August, 1962, it spelled the end, ultimately, of the Wellington-Lyttelton service.

When the rail ferry service to Picton was first mooted by the then Labour Government, the project was bitterly attacked by the National Party as gross extravagance.

When National became ; . the Government it soon appreciated the transport link and rapidly devel- “ opedit. s Thus we are left with • the “iron bridge,” as the n rail ferry service is some- 7 times called. On the Cook Strait » seabed lie the rusty hulls of the Mararoa and Arahura (1) and also the tragic Penguin which did not die so peacefully. Today’s splendid, relatively £ enormous Arahura could . ? quite conceivably, if deck ?* space permitted, carry the earlier, diminutive Penguin as deck cargo.