SHIPPING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2376, 7 January 1922, Page 2

SHIPPING.

The Kennedy is expected to arrive from Lyttelton on Wednesday, and will -ail for Wellington the same evening.

“The Fossicker” writes as follows in this week’s Observer: —The mishap to (lie steamer Kennedy, whioh went ashore at Foxton, the other day, and was refloated without material damage, adds another incident to a long ancTmteresting career. The Kennedy has a record of over 55 years’ service, and for practically the whole of this period she has been ploughing the waves along the New Zealand coast, chiefly round about Cook Straits. Away hack in the Sixties she was built at Sydney by the A.S.N. Company for the Queensland River Company, and -die commenced a chequered career by jailing herself on a reef during her maiden voyage. She slid off the rock, and returned to Sydney to refit. She was then bought by the Nelson firm of Edwards, Bennett and Symons, and became one of the first boats of the Anchor fleet. When the Kennedy reached Nelson in 1566 the gold rush to the West Coast was at its height, and she and other vessels of the line did a roaring trade irt carrying passengers to Hokitika at about €ls a head. Some two years after her entrance into this service she went ashore on the Hokitika bar, and remained fast for about a fortnight. When refloated her bottom was found to be severely .-.trained, and as there were then no nearer facilities for an overhaul, she .was taken to Sydney for the purpose. At a later period when the steamer was tied up to the bank of the Mokihinui river, near Westport, a Hood came down and washed her a wav. There was not sufficient steam at the time to work the steering gear, but bv good seamanship I lie craft was saved. At other times the Kennedy has been ashore at Kara men and at Greymouth, and still later, about two and a halfyears ago. she had an exciting experience in I lie roadstead at Westport. She got into difficulties in heavy weather, and was-beaten out. of the channel, hut after a trying experience of some hours she made port with her engine-room about half full of wafer. The old Kennedy, which was purchased by a Wellington firm from the Anchor Company a couple of years ago, has been in many tight corners in her lime, hut good luck always waits in attendance on her venerable hull.