LAUNCHING OF THE S.S. WEKA.

Evening Post, Volume XXVI, Issue 74, 25 September 1883, Page 2

LAUNCHING OF THE S.S. WEKA.

? A coromony of wmowhat infrequent oc ourronce in this port was porformod to-day, when a new screw steamer, built by Messrs. Luko, Sons and Williams, of tho To Aro Foundry, was snooeßsfully launohed from those promises. The event was witnessed by a largo crowd of spectators, who had oolleoted in the neighbourhood of the works in spite of the rain whioh steadily desoended at the time. The toromony, which took plaoe at full tide this morning— a few minutes past 10 o'clooi— was unattondod with a singlo hitch, ia she loft the stocks and slid easily and smotthly into the water, amid ilio ei.il ' Mao r leers of tho onlookers, tho new '"• ' h >toned in tho orthodox fashion \- '>riiiuL'i'!ftttl£^pf ohanjß»X|^ againut: th- nt'ji "The steamer wa^ u\«d u'-c We i. " the word Mgnifyint*\ajß is woll ku,.\. -„ the New Zvulani. troodhon; and this part of tl con-niOTiv was performed in a very grao v awl * 1 wing manner by Miss MVLean, aaugutot u> Mr. M'Loan who formerly oarried on business as an ironmonger in Willis-street. General admiration was felt at the noble manner in which tho Weka oondnotod herself on boing launched, and exports who were present declared that she Bat in tho wator a very model of beauty. Tho Woka, it may be mentioned, has been four or five months in course of construction. Everything required in conhection with the stoamor, with tho exoeption of tho woodwork, whioh was entrusted to Mr. .P. Coffey, the well-known shipwright, who has oompleted hiß task in a faithful and most praiseworthy manner, has bean manufactured at Messrs. Luko, Sons & Williams' foundry, and during tho poriod named has afforded employment for a large number of man. Sho measures 82ft on tht xeel, 16ft in tho beam, and the depth of hold is Bft Gin. H«r tonnage is between 70 and 80 tons. She is fitted with compound surfaoo oondensuig enginoi of 25 horse power nominal, 11 and 22-inoh cylinders, with a 14-inoh stroke. Tho boiler is Gft 6in in diameter, Bft in length, and mado of {in iron, and ib totted to 1801b to tho square inoh. The engine-room ia fittod np with machinery dosigned with the latest improvements. Tho propeller is fitted with portable blades, thus enabling a single blade te be replaced in lieu of a now propellorin oaso of oooident. Tho officers' cabins aro on dock, and thero is also an after-oabin, beautifully decorated, and capable of comfortably oo« oommodating about a doion passengers. At prosont the Woka has a rather unfinished appearance This is attributable to tho faot that spaoo has had to bo left in whioh to fix refrigerating maohinory, whioh isoxpootod to arrive from England in tho oourso of a month or two. tho Weka being tho first stoamor built in Wellington, if not in Now Zealand, that is boing equipped with applianoes of this dosoription. Tho new steamer has boon built to tho ordor of Moßßrs r ßiohardßon and Campbell, of Napier, and is intonded principally for carrying purposes along tho various rivers in tliK Napior district, her model boing oaloulatod • to bo specially adapted to this kind of trodo, with a light draught of water. She will be oomtnandod by Captain Campbell, who has beon known for many yean in this neighbourhood , as wall as olio whore, as a most efficient officer. Tho lannohing was oarried out undor tho personal supervision of Mr. Coffey, and it is oxpooted tho trial trip of the Woka, whioh iB estimated to havo ooilr .£4OOO, will tako plaoe at tho ond of tho ourrent week. She has boon oarefnlly inspected by Mr. Charles Soager. of this oity, who has exprossod his ontiro satisfaction with tho mannor in whioh tho oontraotora have performed their work, in whioh respect hia sentiments are, wo understand, cordially ochoad by tho owners of tho vessel. The work certainly reflects tho highest orodit on Moßsrs. Luko, Sons and Williams, and domonstratoß boyond the possibility of doubt that steamers evon twioo or thrioo tho dimensions of the Woka oan bo built as well and almost as cheaply as out of tho colony. This is undoubtedly a branoh of local industry whioh is worthy of spooial attention.