LAUNCH OF THE REMUERA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 3, 19 July 1911, Page 7

LAUNCH OF THE REMUERA.

DUMBARTON’S LARGEST STEAMER. LONDON, June 9. When the Rotorua was launched last year on the Clyde, she was described as the. largest ship Dumbarton had ever l>uilt. But this record passes now to the Remuera, built fpr the New Zealand Shipping Co. by Messrs. W. Denny Bros., and launched at Dumbarton on Wednesday of last week. The Remuera is the biggest and heaviest ship Dumbarton has turned out. Mrs. Rhodes, the wife of Mr. A. E. G. Rhodes, of Christchurch, performed the naming ceremony. After the ship had been safely launched a large party of guests were entertained to lunch in the tracing office in Messrs. Denny’s shipyard.

Mr. James Denny proposed success to the Remuera and the good health of her godmother. He went on to say that the Remuera was one of a series of vessels they had built for the same owners. It was a matter of twenty years since they built the first vessel for them, but during the last six years they had had on hand, for the New Zealand Shipping Company, all the time, at least one vessel. The Remuera was to trade between this country and their most enterprising and valued colony. New Zealand. Tn this way she would strengthen a sentiment which was very much in the air at present. She would be an Imperial trader, and on that ground she laid special claim on their good wishes. (Applause.) Before sitting down Air. Denny presented to Mrs. Rhodes a handsome jewelled pendant as a souvenir of the occasion.

Mr. Rhodes, replying, expressed the thanks of his wife, and went on to say that the company had been satisfied with Messrs. Denny’s work, and if this boat proved as good as theii; Orari they would be perfectly satisfied With her. The Orari had now made eight round trips between New Zealand and London, travelling 210.000 miles, and had never been stopped for any defect in her engines and boilers. The New Zealand Company’s boats were getting bigger, although unfortunately they could not have the largest boats because of the limitations of the ports they traded with. Still, their boats were of a very respectable size, and there was ample trade in New Zealand for boats of their size, and bigger. The trade seemed to grow with the years, though this year it was not so good, and in the future he had no doubt it would increase as it had dene in the past. (Applause).

Colonel Denny gave the toast of “The Owners of the Ship.” He spoke of their enterprise in going in for larger ships every time, and never scrupling to adopt new patents, such as the combination engine, the success of which they had proved. The Remuera is generally similar to the company’s Ruahine and Rotorua, also built at Dumbarton. Her length, between perpendiculars, is 484 feet; breadth, moulded, 62 feet; and depth to lipper deck, 35 feet.