THE S.S. WALLABI.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5714, 13 October 1886, Page 2

THE S.S. WALLABI.

This old and favorite cattle boat was once more brought alongside the wharf yesterday, and what was equally fit. and pleasant, under the command of her old and well-known skipper, the genial Captain Leys. As the spring tides had made scarcely sufficient to allow the Wallabi to come through the cutting made for her in the railway embankment, the services of the tug were brought into requisition to tow her into the river ; and she was brought out without any difficulty and taken alongside the wharf. The reason of the Wallabi remaining so long in the lagoon without being brought into the river is this : Messrs Hungerford and M'Kay had hoped that she might have been inspected and passed as seaworthy — as she undoubtedly is — without requiring to send her to Wellington ; but Government were unable to spare the necessary officer to do this, and intimated how, upon the declaration of a certificated master and engineer, she might be taken to Wellington in order to obtain a certificate tha'; she is seaworthy and entitled to carry cargo and passengers. This declaration has been made by Captain Leys and Mr D. C. Braid, engineer, as appears below, and the vessel accordingly loaded up with coal yesterday, and will Wave for Wellington this morning. It is uncertain at present whether the owners will sell her or run her in her old trade, one for which she is better adapted than almost any other boat that brings cattle here. She would no doubt be s*rill better suited to the requirements of the trade if she had more speed and carrying capacity ; but with such defects as she has, the butchers and cattle salesmen have greatly

missed her since she went ashore, but are well pleased to see her ready for active service once more, and under the command of her capable and popular skipper. It is to be hoped that the old boat has' yet a long career of usefulness before her. She has jiarxied jaore , Nprth^lsland cattle to put beef on West Coast miners than all the other boats put together t in thei aame^ tim". Tiio f 'lluwing. -declaration -was -made - before J. G. Woon, Esq., Collector of Customs, yesterday, upon which that officer has granted a clearance to -the s.s. Wallabi to proceed to Wellington (without passengers) for the purpose of being overhauled, surveyed, and re-registered :— :^ "We, the undersigned, James Leys, master, and David Cuthbert Braid, engineer, of the s.s. Wallabi— which vessel was i stranded at Greymouth on the third day of July last, and subsequently abandoned as a wreck— do hereby solemnly and aincerely declare that the said vessel has j been permanently repaired at this port ; that her hull, engines, boiler, gear and appurtenances, &c, are in a sound condition ; that the said vessel is seaworthy ; and we make this eolemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true. "(Signed,) " James Leys, " Master. " D. C. Braid, " Engineer s.s. Wallabi." Declared before me at the Custom House, Greymouth, this 12th day of October, 1886. (Signed,) Jas. G. Woon, Collector of Customs.