THE “BLUENOSE”

Franklin Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 20, 21 February 1940, Page 5

THE “BLUENOSE”

" AN EARLY CARGO STEAMER HOW SHE ENDED HER DAYS Mr E. T. Frost, a former resident of Tuakau, but now living at Parengarenga, in the far north, writes in amplification of the story of the little steamer, the Bluenose, which for more than a dozen years carried op a service between Onehunga and the Waikato and Waipa.

Mi- Frost, who has not only an excellent working knowledge of the Waikato River, hut has the history of the locality from earliest European days at his fingers-ends, writes: —

“I have been reading ‘South Auckland.’ and came across the interesting part where the old ‘Blue Nose’ is mentioned as trading to Onehunga direct. What happened to the little vessel in 11 1 e end is not told, hut no doubt many of your readers will be interested to hear. She came to a sudden end by striking a snag in the Waipa River, and being fairly old it was not thought worth while to repair her extensive damages. That reach of the Waipa River, situated about six miles above Ngaruawahia, is still known to the older settlers as “Bluenose.”

The running was taken up by the paddle-steamer “Waikato,” which continued the service from about 1882 lilt 1897. The’.-engine and hoilei of the Bluenose were taken out of her, and used ashore at Ralph’s mine to drive a fan to ventilate the underground workings.”