FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 145, 16 December 1933, Page 30

FIFTY YEARS AGO

The s.s. Tongariro arrived at Port Chalmers from Plymouth on December 11, 1883, after a record run of 40 days 9 hours steaming time. , This was 2-J days less than the fastest time previously made by ths lonic, and was equivalent to a passage of 36J days from England to Melbourne. The Triumph was reported to be breaking up. Heavy seas drove her further on-to the rocks at Tiritiri. All cargo was being removed. There was a large hole in the bottom of the fore hold, and the foremast -was loose. She was not considered worth the salvage. On December- 14, 1883, the hull, machinery, and refrigerating apparatus wore disposed of to Mr. Fraser, of Fraser and Tinne, engineers. The schooner Sarah W. Hunt, of 115 tons, arrived at Lyttelton from Campbell Island on December 9, 1883, with a crew of two. The thirteen others of the ship's company had left in boats after seals when about a hundred miles from New Zealand. 'Bad weather prevented their return. It was not known whether they had reached the island. After having been completely altered during the preceding few months,- the steamer Stormbird left for Wanganui on December 12. She had been lengthened by the insertion of a 28-foot section amidships. Her tonnage was then 137 net, her engines were of 45 nominal horse-power, and she was expected to be able to do 11 knots. The Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company had chartered the steamers Coptic, lonic, and Doric for three years, thus forming a monthly service. The New Zealand Shipping Company ordered two moro 5000-ton ships for the direct ser-