COSMOPOLITAN SHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21114, 23 February 1932, Page 10

COSMOPOLITAN SHIP.

VESSEL WITH MAORI NAME.

CHINESE OWNER; BRITISH CREW.

The Chinese-owned auxiliary schooner Aratapu, a New Zealand-built vessel with a Maori name, and registered in Peru, sailed from Auckland with a British crew last evening for a French possession. The Aratapu has been well known in tho international and New Zealand coastal trade for over 50 yoars, and during that period she has had an interesting career.

Built at Aratapu, on tho Northern Wairoa River, in 1878, the vessel was first rigged as a brigantine, with square yards on the foremast. She was engaged in tho coastal timber trade for 44 years, during which time she occasionally went to Australia. There were several changes of ownership aial in 1922 the Aratapu was converted into a fore and aft schooner and fitted with an oil engine. Her name was changed to Zeta, but later she was renamed Aratapu. Last December tho Aratapu was recommissioncd. She reached Auckland from Waitara on January 12 and a few weeks later sho was sold to Mr. C. H. Mardon, who intended to utilise tho vessel in the Fiji Island trade. The project, however, was dropped. This resulted in the Aratapu changing owners again and she was purchased by Mr. A. Chang, a Chinese merchant, of Auckland. She was registered at Auckland on Saturday under the Peruvian flag. From Auckland the vessel will proceed to Papeete, Tahiti, to enter the inter island trade. There is a possibility that sho may lator go to Peru to load a cargo of guano for New Zealand. The vessel left port with Captain A. Wilson in charge, and he has with him a mate, two engineers, a supercargo, a cook and livo deck hands.