THE GREYHOUND.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1925, Page 3

THE GREYHOUND.

A SHIP WITH A HISTORY

Another ocean greyhound lias made her last voyage. Decks trodden lit the ihildren of fortune of almost fiive decades will soon echo to the crashing sounds of the shipbreakers’ sledgehammers.

Yesterday the s.s. Kotomnliaua was the pride of the Australian mercantile marine. To-day, shorn ol hi' l „l„rv, she is offered for sale. She lies at Town Pier. Port Melbourne, rising and falling to the ebb and How ol the Lide, tarnished with the rust of age. Built in 1ST!) hv Denny and Sons, at Dumbarton, Scotland, for the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand the Rotomahaan was the first vessel m the world to he constructed ol steel plates and fitted with a propeller. She disolaccd 1770 tons, and was equippe;. with what were then extraordinarily powerful engines. They developed I’VOO hoi-se-))ower. Her luxunoius cabins and saloons made her famous. With her graceful lines, clipper how and bowsprit, long raking lunncl, th: Kotomahana looked every inch an ocean greyhound. And such she proved to he. Yovaging to Australia via the Cape 15 knots—a stupendous speed mi a steamer in the 19th century-was easily attained. Coining from South Africa to New Zealand, that record was surpassed by two knots. M lien she arrived at Auckland she created a sensation. Thousands paid an admission fee to inspect her. the money collected going to deserving charities At first the llotomahana ran m tin. New Zealand coastal fade. I m steadiness at sea was remarkable 10. a vessel of her tonnage, and tom uu the ship additionally popular among sea travellers. Then with the growth of cargoes on the Australian coast, “the ocean greyhound, as she h. came known, was diverted to tliese waters. During the New /.ealaiul ' rushes she carried thousands ot ad'Ci - turnons spirits to the Dominion mlds To-day -writes S. D. Groom ... u bourne exchange) one can still read this notice in her third-class qo. £«*■ “ Passengers are requested to take o„ their hoots before getting into liedAnother says: ■•Passengers aic > quested not to take mattresses and 1,111 :,kcts . °" de the lure of the But the years "hen u.e rmlden nuggets' clutched ■■ men’s souls in an iron grip soon passed

Tn 1393 the vessel was placed » Uunceston-Molbourne run in ' tion to the HinUlart-Porkor steamer Coo-roe nnd held for years the reco.a Sr '"the Molboume.Tnsmnn.an voyage.