THE PAPANUI.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 29, 19 September 1911, Page 3

THE PAPANUI.

AN UNFORTUNATE VESSEL. Tlio Papanui, which recently became a total wreck .at S. Helena, was thirteen years old, having been launched in 1898 from the yards of W. Denny md .Bros., Ltd., Dumbarton. SJie was a steel screw steamer of 6582 tons gross and 42)2 .tons net register, and was built for the N evr Zealand Shinping Company under whose Hag she sailed until last year, when she was sold to a syndicate known as the Aifstralian Shipping Company. She was a somewhat unlucky vessel, and most of her misfortunes were due to the cause which has, presumably, finished nor career, lire. Towards tiie latter part of .1901, while on a voyage from New Zealand to London, the vessel put into \ igo, Spain, in consequence of a very serious tiro. Thirty-eight thousand carcases of mutton had to ]>o thrown overboard. The damage to the ship was extensive, and all the cargo in No. 3 hold was badly damaged. In fact, the entire contents of this hold had to .be jettisoned. In No. 2 hold, the lower tiers of frozen rabbits were damaged by water. ■1 bo Papaiuii was again on fire while lying at the Victoria Docks, London, in April, 1909. The outbreak started in the passengers’ berths and spread to the saloon, also to No. 5 hold and to the main deck and hatchway. Four steamers, a boat, and dock appliances were requisitioned to fight the flames,

but it was three hours before the fire was got under. Damage to the extent of £IOOO was done to the ship. On December 12th, 1909, the steamer met with the mi simp which led to the New Zealand Shipping Company disposing of her. . At 8.30 p.m, on that day, while on her way from Wellington to Beauty Point, Tasmania, she struck an uncharted rock six miles off Waterhouse Island, an islet in Bass Strait. She floated off, after being aground for several hours, and was docked at Melbourne for repairs. Her injuries proved to be so serious that ,the company decided to get rid of her and site was sold to the Australian Shipping Company, by which she was repaired. The new owners shipped a. Filipino crew and hoisted the nicaraguan flag. Complaints wore mace that she was unsaaworthy, but the authorities had no power to detain her, and on December 6th last she sailed, without a pilot, for Japan. She reached her destination safely, and lias since been engaged in the Home trade. A few months ago she met with another mishap, ard was compelled to put into Perim, on May 27th, with her boilers leaking. After a short detention for repairs site was enabled to resume . her voyage.