SHIPS CHANGE HANDS

Southland Times, Issue 25341, 20 July 1935, Page 9

SHIPS CHANGE HANDS

SALES BY ANCHOR COMPANY. (Per United Press Association.) Nelson, July 19. The Anchor Shipping Company has sold the steamers Ngaio and Regulus to F. E. Jackson and Co, Auckland shipbreakers. For a long time negotiations were in progress for the purchase of the Ngaio for conversion into a houseboat for the Sounds, but those negotiations lapsed. The Ngaio, of 1203 tons, was formerly the Union Company’s Mapourika. She was built in 1898 for the West Coast trade. On. her fifth voyage to the Coast she nearly became a victim of the Grey bar. She was struck by a blind roller and lifted stem out of the water which carried the vessel broadside on to the north tip. Severe problems presented themselves in relaunching and eventually a cradle was built round the vessel, the breakwater cut through and the vessel taken to the other side. The Mapourika was stranded again in 1910 on Mabel Island near Picton. In 1921 the vessel was purchased by the Anchor Company for the Wellington-Nelson service. She has been tied up since 1930. The Regulus, of 584 tons, was one of the company’s freighters for many years. She formerly belonged to the Westport Coal Company. She has been laid up for several years.