THE ILL-FATED KAIPABA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 83, 2 September 1914, Page 6

THE ILL-FATED KAIPABA.

AN EVEXTFUL CAREER,

I CARGO WORTH A QUARTER OF A I MILLION.

. When the Kaipara was launched in ■1303, she was one of the "newest things" in cargo carriers in the world, and was about the finest and largest vessel in the London and 'New Zealand trade. She took the water from the yards of Messrs ■Brown and Co.. Ltd.. Glasgow. She had twin screws, was built in. accordance ■with the requirements of the Board of Trade, and was classed 100 Al, at 'Lloyd's.- Her .principal dimensions were: Length, 460 ft; beam 58ft; depth, 31ft; gross tonnage, <392. The Kaipara has a limited accommodation for passengers, but there was none on board when she left Lyttelton. The Kaipara had an eventful career in the New Zealand trade. In 190,'5, when on a voyage out from London she touched on an outlying shoal off Ascension Island, in the Atlantic. The accident resulted in several plates being buckled. Again, in January, 1010, when she was leaving Auckland, on her Homeward journey, the Kaipara struck a rock in Baiigitoto channel, sustaining such extensive damage that she had to bo docked in Calliope Dock tor repairs, and a period of four or live months elapsed before she was ready to proceed to sea again. On .lulv 7. 1011, Captain A. Duder, harboiniaster at Auckland, reported that the Kaipara. had met \\ ith a further mishap at the port of Auckland. lie stated that*bn the previous. Saturday morning 1 the vessel, when 'berthing at the railway wharf, fell rather heavily on th<s corner of t.ie wharf, denting her side. Subsequently an examination was made, and it was found that three plates had been slightly bent. The last time the Kaipara visited .New Zealand she arrived at Dunedin from London on behalf of her owners (the New Zealand Shipping Company) on Mav 27. Discharge was eompieted at southern ports, awl the vessel commenced loading on behalf of the R and R. Line for the West Coast ports of the I'nited Kingdom, and the Xcw Zealanu Shinning Company, for London. Uei .itinerary included: Wellington, the lUull', Dunedin. Lyttcton. She hit Wellington for the Wall on . Inly 1, and sailed finally for Avonmouth liom Lvttelton on July 11. . ' 'The Kaipara took away an exeeptioi - allv lan-o and valuable cargo of foodstuffs from New Zealand ports It wa, 'valued at about a quarter of a million sterling.