LAST OF PORT BOWEN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 219, 16 September 1943, Page 4

LAST OF PORT BOWEN

DISMANTLING COMPLETED MATERIAL FOR M AR EFFORT Practically all traces of the 8000ton steamer Port Bowen, which stranded on the Castlecliff Beach in July, 1939, while inward bound from Picton, have disappeared. The task of dismantling the vessel, carried out by a Wellington firm, Wm Cable and Co., was completed recently, and at an informal gathering of businessmen and local body representatives many features of the part played by materials from the Port Bowen in helping war industries and essential services short of equipment were revealed.

The gathering was held at Castlecliff Beach and among those present were the Mayor. Hon. W. J. Rogers, who is also chairman of the Wanganui Harbour Board, the board’s secretary, Mr. I. Hedditch, two officials of the Department of Industi les and Commerce, Messrs. A. E. Woods and. R. P. Graham, and three representatives of the firm of Wm. Cable and Co., which supervised the dismantling of the vessel, Messrs. J. Cable, H. Ludbrook, and S. Warrick. “I do not think there is one class of industry in New Zealand which has not benefited from the dismantling of the Port Bowen,” commented Mr. Cable. “Copper piping, naval instruments and gauges, cabin fittings and winches have gone into New Zealand-built minesweepers commissioned during the last f sw years. Metal from the vessel has been made into paravane frames for minesweepers, railway rolling stock has been repaired with material from the ship and the Army has used large quantities for defence purposes, including the manufacture of about 50 ‘beaver - ettes’ or armoured cars.

“Material has also gone into dairy and other factories, lime kilns and dozens of essential undertakings. Pumps and other mechanical fittings have been installed in the Wellington Public Hospital; Kakaraki freezing stores were re-fitted with refrigerating gear from the vessel, and certain plant at present in use by the Wanganui Gasworks was originally on the Port Bowen.” The reason why the Port Bowen, stranded more than lour years ago, took three and a-quarter years to dismantle was because that job was undertaken to obtain material for war purposes or for factories whose production was held up through lack of plant as a result of war conditions. The vessel was not dismantled for scrap or “junk” metal, and its material value was far greater than the monetary value of the vessel as it rested on the beach, it was stated.

“It was no ordinary cutting-up job and was undertaken to reclaim the maximum amount oi material so urgently needed for war purposes,” said Mr. Cable. He paid tribute to the work of the engineer in charge of the operations, Mr. S. Warrick, and remarked that he han done a job unique in the annals of New Zealand engineering history.