RELIC THE EARLY DAYS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 143, 18 June 1924, Page 6

RELIC THE EARLY DAYS

FIRST IRON. STEAMER "BUILT- IN. „.'■■ !'■'■'/ :- ATJCKtAND.. ;■ ;, ■-.•:•>- ■ (BI TELEQEAPH-—SPECIAI,. TO ISB POSJ.J - \;. \ -;- This Day. : The shell of what was on^e the coastal' passenger,steamer:Rotornahana washes- ; terday >taken t'q its last resting place, I Pahiki Island^ to be sunk at the Sand- ' spit to; form, the foundation, of a" wharf to facilitate1' the loading of shingle. The final disposal of : the vessel h-.oi more than;.passin]j interest, as. ..is' a relic.-.! of the earlyjdays. v of Auckland, where she was-built ■in 1876. .'The ; -firsit, steamer, built in New Zealand was the, wooden \ paddle ■'■ steamer '. ".Governor Wyiiyard, ■which; was •.constructed iat Auckland in' 1851. '.The Rotomahanaj which it is understood' was the fi^st iron steamer built at Auckland, was .constructed by Messrs. Fraser and Tinne.- 'Another smaller iron, steamer, Kina, was being built at'the same time by Mr.'iL .Fraser, an engineer > and • boilermaker, "and ': there was ■-■ great •' rivalry as to'whq.sKould have the .hon-f our : of bnilding /the first iron, steamer. •The' result was t"hat the'Rotomahana, was ■' ■launched 20 minutes, ahead..of,' the 'other vessel. The'Rotomahana for nearly 40 years carried passengers and cargo from. Auckland to Thames- aud Coromandel. When she became too old for active service she -was utilised as a. store-hulk in the narbour for,hei; owners}.the Northern Shipping Company.. Eventually she lie-' came\,unfifc for that work, and last year was soldi to shipbreake». . '-. ' ■■''') '■-