FERRY STEAMER MAORI SOLD

Chronicle (Levin), 15 March 1946, Page 6

FERRY STEAMER MAORI SOLD

Press Association 1

COYERED OVER MILLION MILES I

By Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, March 14. The inter-Island steamer Maori, which since 1907 has carried many huudreds of thousands of passengers safely between Wellington and Lyttelton, has been sold by the Union Companv to the United Corporation of China, Shangliai. Designed specially for the interisland service, the Maori was built in I 1907 by W. Denny and B ros., D 11111 bar- j ton. Her passenger capacitv is approx- 1 imatelv 500. When she c-amc to New! Zealand in 1907 the inter-island service | had been operating on a daily basis J only for about three years. She' joined j the Mararoa, replacing the Eotoma- 1 hanna. The Mararoa was later replaeed by the Wahine, built in 1913. The Maori remained in the fservice continuallv till 1931, wlien the Rangatira was aequired. She tlien became a spare ship, used only on special occasions or when either of the -other two vessels was under survey. I11 the early years of the recent war, when the Rangatira and the Wahine were on niilitarv transport duties in the Pacific, the Maori was again called into regular service, ; but since 1943 she has been laid up. j I11 her day the Maori was a popular! ship. Since 1907 she has probably cov- j ered close on 1,500,000 miles. What the new owners intend to do with her is not known. When the Hinemoa arrives to join the Rangatira in the service next summer, the Wahine will become the spare ship. Because of the limited range of her oil fuel tanlcs, the Maori will be towed to China by anotlier vessel, bought in x4ustralia by the new owners.