THE WAIWERA

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 111, 13 May 1933, Page 22

THE WAIWERA

SHAW, SAVILL TRADER

POPULAR OLD SHIP

'At the request of a reader of this column, the principal article this yeek is devoted to the Waiwera, a Bhaw, Savill, and Albion Company yessel which was among the best-known traders to New Zealand some years tigo. The Waiwera was built by W. Denny iiud Bros., Dumbarton, in 1893. She ;was a" single screw, three masted Kteamer (an unusual design, as seen by the. illustration), and was 425.7 feet in length, and 54.1 feet in breadth. She arrived -in New Zealand from Glasgow, on her. maiden voyage on 'April 14, 1899, arriving at the Otago Heads. She arrived at Wellington on !May 10. Captain Stuart, formerly master of the Arawa, was commander of the Waiwera on her first voyage. The Waiwera was described as being .essentially a cargo vessel, when she •first arrived in New Zealand, but she jvt-as built with attractive lines, so jthat her outward appearance did not stamp her.as being the ordinary type tit cargo ship. She was, built to comply Lloyd's highest class, and was of jkhe flush-deck type, with officers' (quarters, etc., on the deck. There was

fe neat saloon amidships, capable of taking eight cabin passengers, and in jthe after part' of- the vessel there was accommodation for many third class yassengers. , The Waiwera had insulated space for 90,000 to 95,000 caricasses of mutton. '". On her early voyages from the ■United Kingdom, the Wairera_ was engaged in bringing out many immigrants, but later she was concerned in the carriage of cargo, for which purpose she was built. During the Boer War she was engaged in the transport of liroops, being the flagship from Wellington, and on the occasion of her departure frm Wellington with troops she >-as accompanied to the Heads by a large number .of vessels. The Devon, the remains of which are at the Heads, ;was the flagship from Auckland during the Boer War. The Waiwera had no serious mishaps jrhile the Shaw, Savill" Company towned Captain W., P. CliftonOMogg, ■ who now has. a shore appointment in Australia, was at one time the master of her, and the. last, master of jthe. Waiwera was Captain Charles (Wood, now master of the Themistoeles. •The Waiwera last left Wellington on JMareh 3, 1926, when she sailed for Gisborne. She was sold in 1926, and became the City: of % Pretoria, being tised in the carriage of fruit from: South 'Africa to . England/ "The old ship ",is remembered'with affection by. many on |the ■ New, Zealand coast,. and. she was s. favourite ; with the pilots 'of this Jport. .'■'.'.