AFTER FORTY YEARS’ SERVICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 11 April 1928, Page 3

AFTER FORTY YEARS’ SERVICE

Ii’OTOM A M \ N VS l'.N n in .s:.!ik:iiAxo-i ■\ »:■, 4{J v.Mi' - wvi.-e c: Itotoii'.ih ms nn\v h.o .0 (!.••• new >la!.mt pm. 4 . Pma Meih,m nm. m in.' tin.l! stages of dim, ant hug a! i’ll" hao.N I• t [llf 'luphleakrl - l’nil. utlii filly iln- ipeei I le-t mul limit, fill lllll'll I fl\ fl|ll i |l|lf i I .‘I lilf l llillll l*l>i 11 - puny 1 fill'll vessels. tin 4 l.'nliiiiiiilialia win kimwii llunuglmiu Nriv /.inland ala! Australia as tin- "g tey liotitnl ul i In- 11 <• • 1 Funnel tli-i-r " llmli liy W Penny an.l ('.I . i',a- ill. 4 i '[Dun I uni )ia ny . tin- vessel was lamn lif.l al I liiinliai tnli in .1 Itlit* I>f 1777 ’"iii ui"i- register. Inn engines Wfi'i- "l tin- i•m 11 >< •■! in I ty | it- .' f 450 inaniiial ainl 2700 imheateil 11 11 r. - power. w: l! i a |i".i| "I 1(> knots. Iln- 11 ■• i. 1 1 11 alla 11 a was tin- lint nn-r----fliaut Vfs<"| to 1)" li'iilr "f mil.l steel, a ini lilted with liiiu" keels. ami wtis the first vessel with stfiim steering "far. She If ft 1’ 1 v 111 *in rI > fur A ttsi taiia ■ u Hilt An "iiit. 1879. and i"aiiifil Melbourne on 22ih1 Sept "in lift 4 , afti-i 4 having takon mily 45 days mi tin- journey. i;u■ lu l l lll lt rail-; .11 St. Vincent and Capi- I'iiwi).

Tin- iif\v stianifi ;ittmeted much atteni iiiti at Melbourne. and crowds visit".l ln-i . and dm was hailed as tin 4 ' fastest and finest steamet 4 "I lift - kind afloat.” Arenmniodaiiun in tin- lirsl das. had hfi-n provided fm 140 passengers. and th" saloon and otlno 4 ptthlic looms were in it i-li admired. I in- all ton tl'sell re-tnaitn-d tilmnst nn.ilt"i"d until :i ff.v

Vfiii- a l’i ilislti-i I liird s ey,. maplin ,-at inwooil. ihsi-whoil . tfalt. and mahogany Wftf used in its dfrornlion. the mu’ 4 ! noteworthy ffattni 4 being tin- panelling. Ili i iir.at iVf im tio enrviug stir ninnnlfd earli patifl. ".n h piece of Work being liainl-fa t "d. and no two design-. wen 4 similar. Iln 4 ‘ iuhin-de lii.Ni:. known as tin 4 ‘' I nil la! rhainber. was a large stall 4 ittliin on dfek. and tin; agent-annuiinei-il that it had been furnished spciially I’m 4 thf rnnveiiioiice of hoi;i;.'m non fouplos. or for 1 hosf if If brat ing a silvfi 4 ul 4 golden wedding. niiKvnor.vi) of thf, flkft Thf I nit ulna liana was lirsl plan-d on till 4 N"W /ea land-M "Ibonrin 4 ran, and was pioihiinifil tlif 'greyhound ul the lli-i’t shortly after in-r arrival. and lift proud position was shown by a gilded greyhound earned at Iha tup ul lift 4 mix. /mi masf.

In An,mist. 1885. lb" 1 lot otna ha n.a st rtn-k mi W’aipajtapa I’oint at about iln- sum 4 spot wlifiv thf slfanifr Tara riia was lost. Ih" vi'SSfl htinipftl several tinir.K. and rfinained on tin- rffl tor about, t liree-quart rrs of an linin’. As tin? sm was .smooth and thf tide rising sin* was gradually refloated. and put into Mlul'f. Serious damage was sustained to her hull, and only tile fact licit- sin* Wits fitted with a double keel saved her from foundering. In 1894 the vessel was transferred to the serviee In'tweeti Meilii.iirii" and I .auu. estiin speeially to el iln pet i 4 with the lilt. Mart I'a rke r si ea 111 ■ fl 4 Congee. hut i 4 l ■!i■:i iueil Imi a lew mouths Ol this servn e belli! 4 . 4 returning to li"i 4 original run.

In l.illl! th" Ibitoiiialiana ilia ligitra ted tin 4 ilailv let i \ siwviie ln 4 iw"i 4 ii Lyttelton and Wellington, win re .she remained until .Wav. 19(18.

KKCOIM) I.YTTKI.Ti)N lll'N The Uulomahana was responsible lor many fast trips both in the intercolonial serviee and the Lyttelton-Wellington run. her fastest ttiii" in the ferry serviee being 10 in-ill's 55 minutes, a leeord trom Lyttelton to Wellington, in February. 1904. unbeaten bv a passenger steamer for many years. I’eturning to the .Wel-bntinie-Laiincestnn run in 1908. tln’ I’otomahana was ottee more in compel it ion with the Congee, and tor two years these vessels were rivals, until the Congee, Wits withdrawn in 1910. X'ot until 1921. however. was the old greyhound finally withdrawn, from active serviee. her place being taken hy the new steamer Xanana.

On the eonditinn th.nl site was not used in tin- Australian coastal fra Hie the Unloitinhann was offered for sale by publir auction in April. 1925. -After some spirited bidding she Was hoiigl.t for f* 1 TOO by Messrs Power and Drive.

..t Pol t Melbourne, who soon alter he ear, tin- work of breaking her up. Foi two yeats or more tin- shtpbreak-t-rs have unfit* a hunt their work. an«i iirtle of value renin iris to In- taken nwat before the steamer that was once the show Vessel of the New Zealand and Ansirnlian coasts goes to her last vesting place off Cape Seltaroek, near that of her old rival, the Coogee.

The Roifuntilian;i soon after at riving in New Zealand made a record run from Wellington to Nelson with Christmas excursionists. crossing in 6hrs 10min. The vessel did not come further than the outer anchorage, as she was drawing too much water, and the passengers were In ought to the wharf by the Tairoa.