THE NEW BLENHEIM TRADER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXII, Issue 125, 11 June 1897, Page 2

THE NEW BLENHEIM TRADER.

Thursday's New Zealand Times has the following! — Though not of very large dimensions the ex-Napier owned steamer Pania, wbioh has been purchased by Messrs Olouston and Co. (representing a Blenheim syndjoate) for the Blenheim » Wellington trade, is a most serviceable looking vessel, and one that has proved herself to be an exoellent little Bea boat. The steamer arrived alongside the wharf about half»past seven last evening, having, on the passage dewn from Napier, averaged 7J knots an hour. She originally left the, Hawke's Bay port for Wellington at 2 o'olook on Sunday afternoon, but less than an hour later a mishap ooourred whioh made it necessary for her to put back to Napier. The valve guard of the air pump bucket carried away, owing to a loose nut having been lef I m the pump chamber when the vessel was undergoing repairs previous to being taken over by her present owners. The repairing of the damage was oonoluded on Monday, and at 2 p.m. the steamer started again for Wellington. After paßßing the Kidnappers Bbc experienced a strong head wind, with a nasty sea up to Oastlepoint, when both wind And sea were inoreaßing to snob an extent that Captain Fiek dtcided to go m for shelter, and accordingly at daylight she entered and anobored inßide. The Bteamer resumed her voyage to Wellington at 7 o'olook yesterday morning, met with a light southerly wind and heavy Bwell coming along the coast, and arrived as above last evening. The Pania was built at Auokland for Mr W. Boyd, of Napier, 10 months ago, by Mr W. Holmep, of the North Shore, and was engined by Mesßrs Fraeer and Sons, of the Northern city. She is built of knur, on the diagonal prinoiple, and ia of the following dimensions : — Length, 699 f t; breadth, 16 3ft; deptb, 6 3ft; length of engineroom, 19ft. Her engines are compound surface-condensing, of 11 nominal and 40 indicated horse-power, calculated toproduoe a speed of 8} knots. Mr Peter Bentoul, the chief engineer of tbe Pania, came down from Napier m tbe steamer, but to-day be will be relieved by another engineer appointed by tbe new owners. The boat is of 40 tons register, and was built to acoommo* date eight passengers m a saloon below the deck, aft. It if, however, intended to improve the passenger accommodation considerably, and to have two oabins built on dock. The present saloon will be oonverted into an after-hold, and abaft that, on deok, a roomy cabin to accommodate six ladiea will be ereoted. A oabin for ten gentlemen will be fitted up under the bridge, and when the contract for the carrying out of these alterations is let, the work will be put m hand without any delay. Captain H. Fißk, who has been appointed to the command of the Pania, has traded op the Wairau river, on and off, eineelß69, both with sailing vessels and steamers, and he is well known as one of the most careful and experienced masters on the coast. He has an able lieutenant m Mr B. Clark, who for over seven years has been trading to Blenheim m the Neptune and Opawa.