PROUD RECORD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23687, 20 June 1940, Page 12

PROUD RECORD

NIAGARA'S SERVICE ] POPULAR PACIFIC LINER STEAMED 2,500,000 MILES Holding one of the proudest records in the shipping history of the Pacific, tho Canadian-Australasian liner Niagara, of 13/115 tons, had been in tho Vancouver - Auckland - Sydney service since she was launched over 27 years ago. During that period she had made 162 round voyages and had travelled nearly 2,£>00,000 miles.

In her long sea service, the Niagara gained just claim to be one of tho most popular passenger ships calling at Auckland. She first visited the port on May 9, 1913, as the largest ami finest ship ever to enter New Zealand waters, and rivalled in interest the battleship New Zealand, which, by a coincidence, was making her first call at the same time. For many years she wns the largest ship in the Union Company's fleet, losing that honour to tho Aorangi in 1925. Both ships were later transferred to tho Canadian-Austral-asian Line. Chased by Raider Specially designed for the "Pacific trade, the Niagara was built by John Brown, Limited, at Clydebank. _ Her dimensions were: —Length, 525 ft.; beam, 06ft.; depth, .'34.5 ft. Her speed was 16 knots. The Niagara was the first vessel burning oil to have a British Board of Trade certificate for carrying passengers. The Niagara's life had been remarkably free from untoward incident. During the Great War, however, many an anxious moment was spent by her commander and officers. At one time, it was stated, she was sighted by a seaplane from the raider Wolf, but she showed a clean pair of heels to the enemy. Throughout the Great War she maintained a regular service across tho Pacific, and had continued to do so during the present hostilities. Passengers and crew had their full share of excitement during a voyage in December, 1927. This was the rescue of the crow of tho auxiliary schooner Doris Crane, which caught firo when bound from Fanning Island to San Francisco. The crew fought the flames for 20 hours and then took to the boats. The glare of tho burning schooner was noticed from the Niagara, which changed her course and picked up the survivors, who wcro in flfi cxlicilisted condition. Another Rescue Another rescue effected by the Niagara was that of the crew of the fishing launch Ika off tho Auckla.nd coast in February, 1928. Disabled through the breakdown of her engine, the launch was being blown out to sea. The attention of tho Niagara was attracted bv flares, a lifeboat was launched, and the crew was rescued within 15 minutes, although there "was a strong wind and a rough sea. In March, 1918, the Niagara was in the news. Near the New Zealand coast she lost her centre propeller and went into Calliope Dock for repairs. At the time she T\as the largest vessel to have used the dock, being accommodated with only a few inches to spare. MASTER'S SERVICE MANY YEARS WITH COMPANY A well-known and popular figure in many parts of the Pacific, the commander of the Niagara, Captain W. Martin, joined the liner about five years ago. He was an officer in vessels of the Union Company's fleet before the last war, and, after being chief officer of the hospital ship Maheno in the early part of the war, he received his first command of a cargo vessel. Since then Captain Martin has been master of a number of cargo and passenger ships of the fleet. When first commissioned, tho Niagara was commanded by Captain John Gibb, Other masters have been Captain John Bolls, who was in command in the last war. Captain H. A. Morrisby, Captain D. McLean, Captain A. Showman and Captain T. V. Hill, now master of the Aorangi. NOTABLE PASSENGERS TRAVELLERS ON NIAGARA

AIR VICE-MARSHAL GOBLE

Among tho passengers travelling by the Niagara were Air Vice-Marshal S. J. Goble, and Mrs. Goble. Air Vice-

Marshal Goble, recently retired, at his own request, from the position ofChief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force and at the time was reported to have asked the Commonwealth War Cabinet for an overseas appointment. He served with distinction in the Great War and came into prominence in 1924 when he flew round Australia with the late FlightLieutenant I. E. Mclntyre. Since_ then he has held high executive posts in the Royal Australian Air Force. Dr. J. Inkster, of Knox Presbyterian Church, Toronto, was returning to Canada, accompanied by Mrs. Inkster. They came to New Zealand last September and Dr. Inkster supplied the pulpit of St. John's Presbyterian Church, Wellington, until recently, when they made a short visit to Australia. Captain Frank Williams, the wellknown pilot and stevedore of Suva, was returning with his wife from Australia, where they would have spent another month but for the fact that they wished to be home to celebrate their golden wedding with their family. Captain Williams has lived in Fiji since boyhood, except for a few years when lie was a deep-sea sailor, and when he was serving'in the last war in Europe as commander of the Fiji labour unit. Mr. William Gordon, of the Colonial Sugar Company's service in Fiji, and Mrs. Gordon, were returning from a holiday spent in Auckland. They wero due to return about six weeks ago, but an illness suffered by Mr. Gordon delayed them.