WELL-KNOWN COASTAL VESSEL ENDS LONG SERVICE

Grey River Argus, 9 February 1949, Page 2

WELL-KNOWN COASTAL VESSEL ENDS LONG SERVICE

One of the best known coastal vessels of the Anchor Line Nelson, the 377-ton motor-ship “Alexander” has ended her career, which opened as long ago as 1903, when she was built at Glasgow for the company. Her uneventful career of 46 years was largely occupied in the coal trade between Westport and Greymouth, and Nelson and other northern ports. Only once was she aground for a few hours. Of recent years, the Alexanded, which was converted to a motor-ship in 1931, has been mainly engaged in the fruit trade between Nelson and Wellington. Almost every master in the company s service has captained the Alexander, which once had limited passenger accommodation. The future has not been decided. She had been tied up at NelsonReplacing the Alexander, the company’s second post-war Mamaku will leave Leith about October for New Zealand. Of between 700 and 800 tons, the Mamaku has been specially designed with low draught to work shallow ports such as Mapua and Motueka. She will also be used on the West Coast service. The first new vessel, the motorship Puriri is now on the patent slip in Wellington for painting. From Wellington she will bring a cargo of machinery to Westport and thereafter may be mostly engaged on the West Coast coal trade.