WEST COAST GOLD

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 10

WEST COAST GOLD

THE OLD KENNEDY

EARLY DAYS RECALLED

PASSING OF AN OLD SHIP

The .fires beneath tho boilers of tho old coastal steamer Kennedy are dead —her blackened hull rides gently on the sheltered waters of Wellington Harbour. The casual glance of an idler, on the wharf is attracted for a moment by l'ier deserted appearance. Over .half a. century has passed away since theijld steamer began to trade on the New Zealand coast, but there are only a few who pause for a moment to reflect on the romance attached to the life of New Zealand's oldest steamer, which is now awaiting a decision from her owners that will in all probability send her to her doom. When that decision is made the iast link with the early days of New Zealand's coastal shipping will fall away, for the Kennedy is not only the oldest steamer in tho Dominion, but, with the exception of tho Australian steamer Edina, is the oldest -.steamship on the British Kegister.

THE-"OLD" KENNEDYS , Although no alterations have been made to the Kennedy during recent years she is a totally different ship to the Kennedy which arrived at' Nelson on 7th October, 18G5, on her maiden voyage from Sydney. In those days she was a three-rnastcd twin screw steamer, rigged fore and aft, and fitted with'a centreboard. She was equipped ■with what at that tmie was , considered a "spacious and handsome saloon," ladies' cabins, and a fore cabin for gentlemen. Alterations were rendered necessary as the passenger-traf-fic began to decline, and some years after she- had undergone a complete overhaul in tho yards of her builders, the Australian Steam Navigation Co., Sydney,' her decks were raised in different places, and when Captain W. Wildman relinquished command she was reconditioned for cargo service and her decks raised to their present position. : Before she was converted into a cargo ship, however, she had been fitted with a new set of engines constructed by* Messrs. Fraser and Tinne, of Auckland; and she has since had her original boiler replaced by that taken from the :Aotea, which was ■wrecked on the Patea Bar. When she first came to New Zealand she was used principally between Wellington, Nelson, and the West Coast. The ship proved very popular with passengers, jmd in conjunction with the Murray, Charles Edward, Wallaco, and Lyttel--ton, maintained a. regular service to Wcstpprt and Hokitika. In later years she proved an excellent ship for the West Coast cargo trade, as she could carry, about 200 tons deadweight on a draught of Bft Gin. Contrary to general opinion, the Kennedy was never lengthened, as wero many .of the old ships trading from Nelson. In September, 1919, the Kennedy was purchased by the* Manawatu' Steam Ship Company to take the place of the Queen of the South which was wrecked off Capo Campbell. When she was first placed in the Foxton-Wellington service by her new owners trade was brisk, but in recent years cargoes have become,increasingly hard to find, and it was later decided to transfer the old ship to the Foxtpn-Lytteltbn run. Up to the time of. her mishap on the Foxton beach last November, the Kennedy continued to run between those two ports, and made an occasional trip to Wellington. Tho Kennedy was owned by Messrs. N. Edwards and Co., of Nelson, but after some years the company was formed into the Anchor Line of Steam' Packets, which'was 'entirely owned by the late Mr. J. Symons. On his death the line was converted into the Anchor Shipping Company, and in 1901 this company gave way' to the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Co., Ltd.

GOLD £USH DAYS. "Without doubt the most interesting period of the Kennedy's history was during -the gold rushes to the West Coast in the 'seventies. Trip after trip the vessel was.filled by aa many who could stand on her decks or hang on to her lower rigging—there were no Government regulations as to the maximum number of passengers to be carried in. those days. It.was a hopeless task, to moor the ship at the ■wharves in tho usual way, as the men ■would swarm over the ship's sides in au attempt to unsure their passage to the West Coast. To meet the situation Ihe .vessel-was anchored off the •whar.ves and "a narrow plank was placed across the intervening space. In this way only one man at a time was able to board the ship. Even then it ■was quite a common occurrence to have over 200 passengers when the vessel put out to sea. Besides carrying jassengers, the Kennedy took a monthly shipment of gold from Hokitika to Nelson, and once carried as much as 56,000 ounces of gold valued at well over £,160,000. On several occasions the Kennedy ran ashore at Greymouth and Hokitika, and was left high and dry above the high water line. Each time it .was possible to re-launch the ship by placing her on greased skids and slipping her back into the water. STOPPING A HOLE WITH FLOUR. An amusing incident in connection with the Kennedy is related by Mr. W. C. Hodgson, of Wellington, who served us a purser on the, old ship when she was used in the passenger' trade. The Kennedy, which was then commanded by the late Captain Palmer, was chartered by the Government to transfer a locomotive from Greymouth to Waitara for the New. Plymouth-Waitara railway. Tho engine was safely placed on board, but when the ship was crossing tho Greymouth Bar she struck a rock and knocked a hole in her hull. Water rushed in, and the vessel had lo put back to Greymouth, where she was beached in a sinking condition. After the water had been pumped out a bag of flour was forced into tho hole and tonimed down. The ship again put . -fo sea, and after an uneventful voyage during, which the bag of flour held absolutely watertight, she arrived at Waitara and landed the locomotive at the wharf. She then returned to NelBon, where she was slipped to have permanent repairs effected. With the action of tho salt water the flour had by that time become solidified, and considerable difficulty was experienced ia.removing the bag from tho hull. The fact that the locomotive taken to Waitara was tho first train engine to be used at New Plymouth is also of interest. •

NOTABLE OFFICERS. Many of the older members of the Anchor Company received part of their eariy training in the old Kennedy. Mr. W. Rogers, now manager of the company, served on her as purser, and Captain. W. "Wildman, commodore of the Anchor Company's fleet and master of tho Arahura, served his time on her bofore- tho mast. Mr. Bogers, who joined the company in 1875 as an office boy, received a salary of £25 per annum, and had to servo his first three months with the company without wages, as ho was considered to be "on trial." Mr. W. C. Hodgson, who now resides at Oriental Bay, was.purser ,in the 'seventies. Other well-known masters were the lato Captains F. \Vhit-

well, Palmer, Quance, Creagh, J. Dillon, W. Conway, E. S. Williams, and Mark Ferneaux. Captains F. Vickeirnan, E. Graham, A. Wildman, and S. Stuart also had command of the Kennedy when she was owned by the Anchor Company. ,