N.Z. LINER LOST

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2720, 15 March 1916, Page 6

N.Z. LINER LOST

BY FIRE AND EXPLOSION

THE CAPTAIN KILLED ./

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright St. John (New Brunswick), March 13. l'ire and explosions destroyed am sank the steamer Matatua at the dock! here.

Tiie vessel was loading cargo for New Zealand.

Captain Gillman was killed. Ihe cause of the fire is unknown.

PRIME. MINISTER'S VIEW OF THE LOSS

THE PAPER PROBLEM.

1 lie Prime Minister, referring to the loss of the Matatua yesterday, said tbat unfortunately tho Matatua was imo of the meat ships on the schedule for loading on tho Now Zealand coast in May, and the loss would be serious to snipjjers. lj> might not be a very difficult matter to get another vessel foi tlio Now Zealand trade, but it was no \ery easy matter to get a refrigerated ship.

As is fairly well known, newspapei proprietors in the Dominion are anxious about future supplier of paper, and tho loss, of tho Matatua will cause- uneasiness to some of tiiem. So serious was the trouble that an appeal was made to the Government for aid in obtain, ing a steamer to bring tho paper liore. the freight rates from the East' Coast ol America are five times as high as in peace times, but even at these, rates ships are not in ready supply. Mr. Massey said yesterday that ha had been trying to arrange to have enough paper brought to New Zealand for our newspaper needs, but his arrangements did not concern the Matatua's. cargo. He thought that we should bo able to get enough paper to New Zealand for the requirements of newspapers, and that proprietors would not be compellod to rcduce the size of their journals. DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL. The Matatua was loading' at the Canadian side tlio usual cargo of motorcars, machinery, paper, and general hardware. Under on arrangement in fc-rce where tho Canadian trade is concerned. she was coming to New Zealand under the agency of the New Zealand Shipping Company. Departure was to have been taken from St. John's at tho end of February, but later advice was to the _ effect that the . vessel was de-. tayed till March. She was due in New | Zealand early, in May. The Matatua paid her last visit to Wellington on September 13 last, and left two days later to commence loading for London at the various New Zealand ports. She left Napier on October 7 for London, via Australian ports, 'and-.reached her destination on December 26. The Matatua was a vessel of 6488 tons, built in 1904 by Workman, Clark, and Co., Ltd., Belfast, for tho. Shaw-Savill Company. She was a twin-screw vessel, and her dimensions wore as follow Length 448 ft.. breadth 66-sft., depth 30.6 ft. She had refrigerated space for about 86,000 carcasses, while her space lor, general cargo was about 11,000 bales, or approximately 5000 tons. She paid her first visit to Wellington in 1905. ' Captain L. B. Gillman, who is reported as having been killed, was well and favourably known throughout New Zealand. Ho was a comparatively young man, and fifteen, years ago he held tho position of fourth officer of the , old Shaw-Savill steamer Maori. EEo was later chief officer of the Rangatira with Captain Chudley, now marine superintendent for tho Shaw-Savill Company, In 190" Captain Gillman assumed command of the old Pnkelm, and for a short time following this appointment lie was chief officer of the Arawa. From the latter vessel he joined the Matatua as, commander. Some years ago Captain Gillman was married to ; Miss Grubb, eldest'daughter of Mr. Charles Grubb, of Pirie Street. Mrs. Gillman is at present residing in London. There were no children of the marriage.