ARRIVAL OF THE RANGATIRA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2323, 8 September 1898, Page 46

ARRIVAL OF THE RANGATIRA.

The Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's fine steamer Rangatira, Lieutenant Burton, R.N.R., commander, from London, arrived at Port Chalmers at 7 a.m. on Monday, and wa<3 berthed at the ocean steamers' pier to discharge cargo, of which she brings 3326 tons, including Irai.&hipments, for this port, and 1150 tons for Lyttelton. The Rangatira was the last vessel of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's fleet that coaled at Teneriffe, when she was homeward from New Zealand on June 13. Crptam Burton states to show how widespread are the sufferings connected with the SpanishArr.erican war, that one of the fleteros or boatmail stated ' that when it was seen the Rangatira was entering the port for coal some of the poor peons' (labourers) families knelt down and thanked God that a vessel was coming in for coal at last." The fleteros said the Rangutira was the third vessel that had been in the port for a fortnight, Avhile as a rule there Avere always three or four vessels taking in and two or three discharging coal there. Most of the •working class of the inhabitants of Santa Cruz earn their principal living in this manner, or in going on board the large passenger ships to coal them and selling curiosities of varioiis kinds. Some Indian fillagrce silver workers and Spanish lace workers have also established themselves at Teneriffe, and bring off their wares to the steamers. Then a large quantity of the land which was devoted tp the culture of the cactus for the food of the cochineal inBeot and other things has now been converted into fruit and flower gardens, from which sources a good income is derived from the passenger ships. Most of the vessels going to South and West Africa, as Avell as many of ■those bound to the Jirazils and River Plate, replenished their coal bunkers at this favourite station. The wages of these poor people weie always Aery moderate, and now that no boats call there they are on the verge of starvation. A new large fort, with the gun? apparently exposed, has been erected close to the town, but iid not feeem A r ery formidable. Numbers of the "Oi Polloi " were drilled daily as soldiers 5n caso their services might be reqiwred, and Captain Burton was informed that one draft of men had been taken from there for the Cuban v/ar. In consequence of the Welsh inij ers being on strike she Avas unable to p.-cwuie her, usual supply of coai, and had to take in North Covntiy coal, for which her furnaces Avere not co Avell adapted. The North Country coal is very like Westport. but more inflammable than Welsh coal, and although every precaution Avas taken to ventilate the compjirlincits m which it avps carried «\,s much as possible, it was found that one of the bunkers Avas on fire on the 9th ult. This was soon extingiu&hcd and savf. y.o imther troubles

Up to Monday evening the s.s. Rakaia had taken in nearly 12,000 carcases of frozen rnuttoi, with a quantity of wool and tallow, and a six-ton gun belonging to the Defence department.