NIAGARA’S LIFEBOAT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 73, 29 August 1947, Page 6

NIAGARA’S LIFEBOAT

FORMER KAWHIA CRAFT SOLD TO HAMILTON MAN An echo of the Niagara disaster is the recent sale of one of her lifeboats. The boat was formerly the property of Mr L. Boswell of Te Kuiti and was well known on the Kawhia harbour. Her new owner is Mr T. G. Wells, of Hamilton. When she struck a mine and quickly sank, the Niagara became the first shipping victim of the war in Australasian waters. It was in the Hen and Chickens group, off the Auckland coast, that the disaster occurred, and the passengers and crew took to the ship’s boats in a calm and orderly manner. There was no loss of life. Lifeboats Sold Instead of cruising the world with their parent-ship, one of the most luxurious of passenger vessels, the family of lifeboats was required to adapt itself to entirely different surroundings. The shipping company offered 11 of the comparatively small' boats for sale a few months after the Niagara had been sunk and for the sum of £35 one of them was bought by Mr L. A. Boswell, of Te Kuiti. The shipping company made a present of one of the boats to the Sea Scouts. Although it was a simple matter to fit the lifeboat with a motor, no such provision had been made available for the Niagara complement and the voyage from the liner to the mainland was made with the assistance of oars. One of . the first details to be. attended by Mr Boswell was the building of a superstructure, as the boats were open. Boat Brought to Hamilton When Mr Boswell made his purchase it was his intention to use the vessel for activities about the coast. He said, however, that the former lifeboat could be put to sea with full confidence. There is a- doubt that the boat would be particularly suitable for river work as it draws a fairly large amount of water.

After the destination of Mr Boswell’s boat had been decided at Auckland it was put on a motorship and sent from Onehunga to Kawhia, then being taken by lorry to Te Kuiti. The motor-ship which made the voyage from Onehunga to

Kawhia was subsequently sunk as a result of enemy action. About 55 passengers could be accommodated in the 28-foot lifeboat. Her beam is lOf feet, and'she draws about three and a half feet of water. As a ship’s lifeboat the vessel was fitted with a 28ft.'mast and sails. Recently Mr Wells bought the boat from Mr Boswell, and it is ' probable that it will become a wellknown craft on the Waikato River. The boat was recently brought overland by truck from Kawhia.