THE MURITAI

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 14, 17 July 1923, Page 8

THE MURITAI

OFFICIALLY HANDED OVER

"GREYHOUND OF POET NICHOIi- . ' SON."

This morning, the new harbour ferry steamer Muritai was officially handed over to the Eastbourne Borough Council by Messrs. C. Coi-y-Wright and C. W.Salmon, contractors for the steamer. The ceremony took' place on board the Muiitai, which was anchored in the harbour. Those on board included the Mayor and Mayoress of Eastbourne (Mr. and' Mrs. F. H. Mather), the general manager and Town Clerk of Eastbourne, Mr. E. B. Witty, accompanied by Mrs. Witty, Mr; C. Cory-Wright, and Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Salmon, Mr. and Mrs. T. M. Wilford, Mr. H. Anderson, solicitor to the Eastbourne Borough Council, Mr. G. N. Shore, traffic' manager, and. Councillors E. A. Dawson and Mrs. Dawson, H. W. Shortt and Mrs. Shortt, C. Hartridge and Mrs. Hartridge,'C. A. Marquis and Mrs. Marquis, and others.

The Muritai left the wharf at 10.45 o'clock and proceeded to the northern end of the harbour, where anchor was dropped shortly after 11 o'clock. i

After tea" had been served'on the deck, Mr. OV W. Salmon handed the ship over to" the Eastbourne Borough OounciL In doing so, he briefly traced tie history leading up, to the steamer!s arrival in Wellington, and then asked the Mayor to take the certificates allowing the vessel to be put into commission—the certificate of survey, permitting the steamer to carry 1550 passengers, and the various other certificates from the Marine Department in connection with the vessel's gear. To Mr. Witty, as' general mana ger, he gave a box containing plans of the Muritai. After Captain J. Lowry had hoisted the couhcil'sflagat the peak, the National Anthem was sung, and tho Muritai was declared to be the property of the Eastbourne Borough Council . . One toast was honoured, " Success to th» Muritai," and in 1 proposing it Mr. Wilford referred to the remarkable progress made by Eastbourne since ho knew it, when its'population totalled two persons. From what he had learned- about the Muritai, he could well say that she was the; greyhound of Port Nicholson, which would connect Wellington with the sun-kissed borough across the,'water. The ship was the very latest in construction; marine^men who hadseenher had been amazed at her modern appliances. The newspaper controversy regarding the ship he would put on one side as past, a wrinkle on the brow of time. The word Muritai meant "sea breeze," so the "sea breeze" would be carrying passengers to the sun-kissed borough. He concluded by saying the steamer -would - remain a tribute to the.ability, and energy of the Borough Council, and would be regarded as a most.important step forward in.the progress of the suburb.

The toast was drunk with musical honours, and three hearty cheers given • the little steamer. ... •. . ■ ■■■

ANOTHER-NEW BOAT?

Replying t a -the toast; the' May or said the council had been some time deciding the question of the purchase of-a steamer, ■ and, .during their investigations • had:bcen offered • thirty • or forty • second-class steamers; but- it. had been finally decided .that : it. was preferable to' have a steamer' built ,for the needs of the particular harbour."' The-contract price of the steamer delivered here was £33,----465, but that had riot; provided for the roofing, of the deck and the supplying of spare parts, which had cost .£1390, bringing the total cost of'the ship as she was to-day up" to £34J850.'. The loan proposal of £50,000 carried in 1921 also included, the cost of reconditioning the Duchess and.theCobar/ He fell; sure that the council had.-the confidence of the majority of the .level-headed ratepayers of Eastbourne, who were satisfied with .what the council had done.in connection, with the. ship;. There'had. been some unfortunate delay inputting the ship in commission,; but that had not been the council's fault, nor had'it. been the -fault of the contractors. It was a long way to Scotland, where the builders', yards were, and he estimated that the contractors had epent: hundreds of pounds Jn cable messages during the past two months. If had been, only by perseV • yerance that the differences had. Been adjusted with the contractors, who had acted throughout with ooiirtesy, and in a straightforward i way, and with a frankness and earnest deeire to do their very best. ;.-...: • : . . . •

Referring to the passenger se'i'ice in General, Mr. Mather said that it was interesting t<j note that, last year the Duchess and Cobar had carried almost a million people. The Muritai would he able to do. the return trip in an hour, and had accommodation fdr.,1500 people. He would suggest that the steamer was not only a great acquisition to Eastbourne, but also to Wellington. The population of Wellington was growing, and soon the Eastbourne Borough Council would have to put its thinking cap on and consider, perhaps much sooner than they imagined, the desirability of obtaining another new boat. It was hoped to put the Muritai into commission by the end of the week, and then the Cobar would withdraw temporarily for altera-; tions. When she resumed her running she would be fitted with a steam winch, and would be altered sufficiently to enable her to handle cargo on an extensive scale, so that the Eastbourne'residents would have through freight from the warehouses in Wellington Before concluding, the Mayor said he would like to state that in obtaining the Muritai the council had been guided by a desire to have a comfortabl ei thoroughly reliable, and steady.boat. On one boiler, the Muritai could exceed the speed of the Duchesse';' and when she was fited with the bronze prbp'ellors which had already been ordered, he felt sure she would do her contract speed of 13£ knots; not that they anticipated running her at that, speed. He would 'also like to' thank Mr. Constable, of the "Union Steam Ship Company, who'had been very helpful in advising the' council in technical matters in connection with the de sign and construction of the boat.

To-morrow the Eastbourne Borough Council wiU hold the official trial trip of the Muritai at 10.30. a.m.

The residents of Eastbourne willhave an opportunity of inspecting the steamer to-morrow, and on Thursday the school children of the district will make an excursion on the boat. .

It is expected to have the Muritai running in the service by about Friday.