S.S. TIROA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20112, 5 December 1939, Page 4

S.S. TIROA

DISMANTLING OF SHIP CONVERSION TO LIGHTER RECORD OF SERVICE 23 YEARS ON COAST In order to provide additional lightering accommodation and to increase the efficiency of the local plant, the Gisborne Lightering and Stevedoring Company has decided to convert the coastal steamer Tiroa into a wool lighter. As .the outcome of war conditions and the appraisal of the Gisborne district wool clip at this port the company has found that additional lightering plant will be necessary to handle the large shipments of wool here. The conversion of the steamer Tiroa, which was commenced last week, will provide carrying capacity for about 850 bales and this will greatly facilitate the shipping of the clip. It is intended to dismantle the deck housing and other unnecessary parts oif the superstructure, while the boiler and engines will be removed to permit of the enlargement of the ship’s hold. Already the mast, funnel and other gear have been brought ashore at the harbour basin, where the alterations are being made. The work is being done by the company’s staff as opportunity permits. Familiar Trader The Tiroa has been a familiar trading and lightering vessel at this port during the past 23 years. She is a wooden vessel of 206 tons gross and has a total .length of 111 ft. Her rteam engines were capable of developing 208 i.'h.p. The whole of the steamer's career has been associated with the port of Gisborne, and during this period she has been employed either in the Auckland-Gisborne and Coast trade or in lightering operations at Gisborne or Tokomaru Bay. 3uilt in Auckland by Mr. William Brown and engined by Messrs. George Fraser and Son, the Tiroa was originally intended as a cement freighter between Whangare'i and Auckland. Bofor? she left the stocks, however, she was purchased by the Gisfborne Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Meat and Mercantile Company and was placed in commission as a unit of the firms lightering plant. Enters Coast Trade With the development cf the Auck-land-East Coast-Gislborne trade by the company's schooner Elsie Mary the Tiroa also was requisitioned for this service until she was superseded by the .purdhase of the m.v. Margaret W.„ a much larger vessel. In 193.1 the Gislborne Lightering and Stevedoring Company was formed and the new company took over the steamer. Until 18 months ago the Tiroa made occasional trips to the Coast in company with the Karoro to lighter meat at Tokomaru Bay, but since then there has been little work offering for her owing to the more economic running of Diesel-engined vessels. The steamer has fulfilled a useful career in the East Coast service and, thanks to careful handling, has been singularly free from serious mishaps. .Several years ago she experienced a severe battering on a trip from Auckland to Gidborne, encountering the full force of a north-easterly gale in the Bay of Plenty. An exceptionally heavy sea struck her and broke away about 25ft. of her port bulwarks. The water found its way into the engineroom and the quarters of the ship’s crew. On this occasion the Tiroa whs hove-tto for 10 hours until the weather moderated. Mishap off White Island On another occasion she suffered a broken tails'll aft 16 miles oif White Island. The steamer hove-to about noon and five members of the crew Set out in a ship’s boat for White Island. Fine weather prevailed and the Tiroa drifted albouit all night. She wias Sighted early next morning by the s.s. Pukeko and was towed to GiSborne, the tow lasting 23 hours.

During the construction of 'the Hicks Bay freezing works the Tiroa was employed extensively in conveying materials and plant from Auckland. Good service was rendered in 1924, when the Tiroa successfully towed the w'recked schooner War Lord to Auckland after her salvage from the beach at Waikokopu.

A numlber of Well-known coastal mariners have .been associated with the command of the Tiroa. The first master of the vessel when she came from Auckland was Captain It. J. 'Fowler, whildt the master who was in charge for the longest period was Captain L. D. Clark, now of tNa.pier. Others who Have been in command of the Tiroa include Captain J. R. Owen, master of the (Margaret W., Captain J. W. H. Holmes, formerly depu.tyhaitbourmaster and no.w of the Watchlin Line, Captain G. McKenzie Smart, the present harbourmaster at Gisborne, Captain A. Thomson, of the Lightering Company, whilst protohbly her last master was Captain J. Coleman, jun., mate of Hie Margaret W.