THE S.S. 'HINEMOA.'

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVII, Issue I, 4 July 1896, Page 1

THE S.S. 'HINEMOA.'

THE Government steamer ‘ Hinemoa ’ is one of the most familiar of the boats in our coastal fleet.

Owned and worked by the Government, she has been steadily doing her duty (and perhaps a little more) in and out and round about the coast of New Zealand and the adjacent islands for the last twenty years. I have met those individuals who, with a toss of the head, tell you, 1 Oh, yes, fine boat, you know ; just kept for the Governor’s pleasure, and when he doesn’t require her—well, you see the Government people have a good time on her.’ But the ‘Hinemoa’ is very far from a pleasure boat only. She has a great deal of useful work to perform in the course of the year, for the lighthouses of the colony are dependent on her for their supplies, and she is largely responsible for the state of the buoys and beacons in out of the way places not under the jurisdiction of a Harbour Board. As an instance of her multifarious duties, let us glance at some of her regular trips. First there is what is known as the Northern trip. Leaving Wellington, her first point of call is Portland Island, which lies at the Northern horn of Hawke’s Bay, about half a mile from the Mahia peninsula. The lighthouse on the extreme south of the island is a tower 28 feet high, and shows a white revolving light. From Portland Island the ‘ Hinemoa’s ’ course lies round the East Cape, and her nextportof call is Tauranga Harbour. Having seen to the condition of things there, she makes for Cuvier Island, off Coromandel, where there is now a magnificent lighthouse. Leaving the island and entering the Hauraki Gulf, the well-known lighthouse of

Tiri and the Beam rock are inspected, and after a short stay in Auckland the vessel resumes her patrol northward looking in at the Moko Hinou Islands on her way to Whangarei, and the lovely harbour of Whangaroa. Rounding the North Cape, the ultima thule of New Zealand, and visiting Cape Maria Van Diemen, where on a small islet is a lighthouse with a revolving white light visible at a distance of 24 miles, the voyage is resumed southward. Hokianga harbour and Kaipaia harbour are entered in succession, and then Auckland's other harbour, Manukau, receives a visit of inspection. Further on, the two ports of call before reaching Wellington are New Plymouth and Cape Egmont. The northern trip is :uade three times a year.

The Southern trip, which is also made thrice in the twelve months, includes a visit to Godley Head, Akaroa, Moeraki, Taiaroa Head, Nugget Head, Waipapapa, Dog Island, and Centre Island in Foveaux Strait, and Puysegur Point. The needs of all the lighthouses at these places are attended to by the crew of the ‘ Hinemoa,’ whose work besides, the supplying of provisions, etc., to the lighthouse men, consists in cleaning and repairing buoys, etc. Between these long trips a local trip is made, the vessel visiting Somes Island in Wellington Harbour, Pencarrow Head, Cape Campbell, The Brothers, ToryChannel, Stephen Island, French Pass, Nelson and Farewell Spit Lighthouses. But the work of the * Hinemoa ’ is not confined to our coastsonly. She occasion ally ventures further on the deep, part of her duties being to visit the Kermadec Islands which lie in the midst of ocean solitude about 700 miles N.E. of Auckland. The Kermadecs are

looked up once a year, while the Snares, Auckland, Campbell, Antipodes and Bounty Islands are visited every six months. The visiting of these distant isles involves a considerable amount of work, as the stations on them for shipwrecked crews have to be thoroughly overhauled and kept supplied with provisions. There are ten depots on different islands, five boats, and sixty-four fingerposts directing anyone who may chance to be shipwrecked there to the depots. Lastly among the * Hinemoa’s ’ duties have to be reckoned the carrying of the Governor’s party from port to port and occasional trips to members of Parliament. The vessel has now been at her work seven years, having taken the place of the‘Stella.’ Her average steaming during that time has been 30,000 miles a year. The present crew number 26 all told, and at present Captain Neale is in command. It is, however, Captain Fairchild whose name is most closely identified with the • Hinemoa,’ which he has steered with great success for many years.