LAST OF THE WAKATERE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21382, 5 January 1933, Page 10

LAST OF THE WAKATERE

VESSEL TO BE BROKEN UP SERVICE IN THAMES TRADE FAVOURITE WITH PASSENGERS .After 30 years' sea service and six years idleness in Auckland Harbour, Hie one-time favourite passenger steamer Wakatero is to be benched at St. Mary's Bay at high water this afternoon to bo broken up for scrap, which will probably bo molted down in a Japuneso foundry. The Wakaterc was a steel paddle steamer of 441 tons and was owned by the Northern Company, which ran her in the Thames and Coromandel passenger service and also utilised her at times for excursion work.

The passing of tho Wakaterc is of considerable interest, becauso sho is a link with the 'nineties and the days of prosperity on the goldfields. The gold rush in the early days of 1896 was primarily responsible for the company's decision to purchase the vessel. She was launched at Yoker, on the Clyde, in May, 1896, being originally designed for tho Islo of Man packet service. She was bought on the stocks owing to her suitability for the Auckland-Thames trade. A fast steamer was required for the work and tho Wakatere attained a speed of 16 knots on her trials, which was regarded as eminently satisfactory and helped to givo a meaning to her name, which is "swift canoo" in Maori.

Sho was brought to New Zealand by Captain W. Farquhar. who was tho commodore master of the fleet and had been in the company's service for 27 years. The voyage was made via the Suoz Canal and Torres Strait and occupied 82 days, the actual steaming time being 68 days. Tho longest passage mado during the voyage without coaling was 2000 miles, from Batavia to Thursday Island. During the Wakatere's long sea career she carried thousands of passengers and she was always popular owing to her speed, which • enabled her sometimes to make the trip from Thames to Auckland in 3 hours 5 minutes. Captain Farquhar was succeeded as master of the vessel by his brother, Captain A. Farquhar, who retained command for 18 years. He was followed by Captain Sullivan and later by Captain McLeod, who had the vessel for a number of years and was in command when she made her last trip. On July 5, 1926, the Wakatere was withdrawn from commission and four years later sho was sold to the shipbreakers. After being dismantled of everything of value she was converted into a shingle hulk at Shoal Bay. The long exposure to the weather at the anchorage, however, began to tell, until she became so rusted that there was a danger of her sinking. She then had to ba beached on the mud in tho bay until arrangements could be made for her final disposal.