THE S.S. TURAKINA.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 August 1917, Page 8

THE S.S. TURAKINA.

TEBEE LiyES LOST. Christchurcb. August 20. Advices received here state that the Turakuia was *uuk Isusi .Monday on the voyage J'roj/i Loudon to New York, having- safely landed her New Zealand Reinforcements in Britain. The casualties were the loss -of iwo trimmers and a ijaker out of a total complement of about a hundred men. Captain Y. C. White-Parsons, who commanded the Turaiiina, is a siiialo man, z.nd van born in L-, titltcii. He"is the son of Mr T. A. White-Parsons, St. Albans.

_ Sortie rears ago, -when at Rio de Janeiro, the Turakina was seriously damaged by fire and was then practically gutted. She -was refitted at very great expense, and had only lately been diverted by the Imperial authorities from the EDguuid-Kew .Zealand trade to cargo carrying between America :-.nd Britain.

The Turakina was a steel, twin-screw steamer of 8849 tons gross, and was .launched in April. 1902, from the yards of Hawthorn, Leslie, and Co., Ltd., Newcastle, England, for the Mew Zealand Shipping Company, Ltd. She was permanently engaged in the New Zealand passenger and frozen meat trade, and had more than her share of bad luck. On three occasions fire broke out on her. The first outbreak was on September 27, 1905, in the vessel's No. 4 hold, as she lay alongside the Glasgow Wharf, Wellington, but this was extinguished by the crew after 90 tales of woo! and flax had been damaged. Two years later, alijnost to the day—it was September 26, 1807—-the cargo in the forehold caught fire When the vessel was a few days' ateam from Auckland outward bound for London. The officers and crew were unable to subdue the outbreak, and the vessel was headed for Wellington, arriving there on October 4. She was brought alongside the wharf, and it was only after strenuous work on the part of the Wellington Fire Brigade, assisted by the tug Terawhiti, that the fire was sup- I pressed. The damage amounted to about £IOO,OOO. The third fire occurred in March, 1913, while the Turakina was at Jlio de Janeiro, en route from Wellington to London. The vessel was beached and it was some weeks before she could be refloated. The damage was heavy to the cargo of butter, cheese, and meat. The principal dimensions of the Turakina were; Length, -lSSft.; beam, 59ft fiin.; depth, 35ft, The vessel carried .dead-weight of about 10,500 tons of cargo, and had accommodation for 40 first-class passengers, A saloon for .54., second-class passengers was also filled . up-at the after end of the upper bridge. This upper bridge formed a spacious ' promenade, the forward end of which ' was enclosed in such a way as to afford i shelter to the passengers in heavy weather. The staterooms were well lighted and ventilated, and fitted up in first-class style. Accommodation lor 7-1 third-class" passengers was fitted up in the poop of the vessel. The three forward holds and 'tween decks were insulated, and a large duplicate refrigerating plant fitted in the shelter dock. The machinery of the Turakina consisted of a Wt of twin-screw tripleexpansion engines, working at a pressure of 2001b. per square Inch, and capable of maintaining 4500 horse-power at sea. ~ Steam was supplied by six single-ended , boilers with forced draught.