OLD TRADER PASSES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20522, 25 September 1928, Page 13

OLD TRADER PASSES.

KITTAWA FOR THE FAR EAST. In recent months the Union Steam Ship Company has disposed of a number of its older cargo steamers, which, afterlong years of service in the New Zealand trade, have been sold to Far Eastern buyers, who intend to employ them in trading in the China Sea. Amongst ships so disposed of have been Waipori, Kororaiko, Karori, Kittawa, and Kauri, which have thus been saved from the fate of other Union Line steamers, such as the Takapuna. Kini, Poherua, Talune, Moana, Rakanoa, Paloona, To Anau, Pateena, Tarawera, and Rotomahana, all of which, after being stripped of theii fittings, have been scuttled at sea or used as harbour protective works. On Thursday last (says the Dominion) the Kittawa, painted all black, took her final departure from Wellington for Newcastle on her way to the Far East, thus ending a connection of nearly 30 years with the New Zealand trade. Launched as the Glosterhill in August, 1898, at Middlebro, she was soon afterwards purchased by the Union Steam Ship Company, which renamed her the Kittawa, and employed her in the Australian and Tasmanian trade, but principally in the New Zealand coastal coal and timber trade. Among her eaidier masters were the late Captain J. Millman, Captain Brophy, and the late Captain J. J. Pennington. For many years her chief engineer was the late Mr R. M'Gill, widely known as “ Wee Bob.” Probably the most interesting event in the old ship’s career occurred just over 24 years ago, when she towed the disabled French barque Boieldieu to Lyttelton. The Boieldieu, laden with 3500 tons of wheat, sailed from Sydney at the end of March, 1904, for Queenstown for orders. About 10 days out the ship, while labouring in a violent pale about 30 miles south of the Snares, broke her rudder. The Boieldieu was driven far to the southward past _ the Auckland Islands and the Macquarie Islands, and then away to the northward and eastward past the Bounty and Antipodes Islands, until she sighted the Chatham Islands. Four jury rudders were carried away, but with the fifth and favourable winds she managed to make the eastern end of Banks Pennisula, where she was caught by a south-west gale. In May, after a drift of 49 days, the Boieldieu was nicked up by the Kittawa, bound from Greymouth to Timarn. and was towed nearly 40 miles to Lyttelton, the low line carrying away four or five limes, due to the bad steering of the disabled ship.