SS Rotomahana (1876)

SS Rotomahana was an 1876 harbour steamer and the first iron vessel to be built in Auckland,^[1] though launched only 28 minutes ahead of another, though smaller, iron ship.^[2] Rotomahana was a name used by at least two other ships of the era, presumably because Rotomahana and its Pink and White Terraces had become better known after the Duke of Edinburgh visited in 1870.^[3]

Rotomahana (centre right) at Auckland in 1903
History
New Zealand
Builder	Fraser & Tinne, Auckland
Launched	20 November 1876
Decommissioned	1921
Out of service	October 1914
Homeport	Auckland
Identification	75119
Fate	Beached on 17 June 1924
General characteristics
Tonnage	183 tons
Length	127 ft (39 m)
Beam	17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)
Height	mainmast 65 ft (20 m)
Draught	7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
Depth	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Depth of hold	7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
Deck clearance	7 ft (2.1 m)
Propulsion	Single screw steamer, 50 nominal horsepower jet condensing steam engine
Sail plan	3-masted fore and aft schooner
Speed	10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	one lifeboat, one cargo boat
Capacity	66 passengers

Until 1888 Rotomahana worked for her builders, Fraser & Tinne, flying their yellow house-flag with a phoenix^[1] and taking a bit over 4 hours to ply the 50 mi (80 km) Auckland–Thames route. Theodore Tinne left the partnership in 1882, leaving the firm in the sole ownership of George Fraser.^[4] In the later 1880s George faced increasing financial pressures.^[5]

Rotomahana was one of the assets he sold. She was bought by M.T. Clayton of Auckland in 1888 and, from 1888 to 1890, was run by New Zealand Insurance Co.^[6] They sold her to Captain Worsp on 3 April 1890 for £2,225,^[7] but he had sold her to Northern Steamship Co by 12 July 1890.^[8] Rotomahana continued serving Thames until June 1898,^[9] when she was replaced by the larger and faster Wakatere^[10] and she switched to the Coromandel run.^[11] Occasionally she served other Hauraki Gulf Northern Steamship routes, such as Port Fitzroy, Okupu and Tryphena on Great Barrier Island.^[12]

After overheating, she was re-engined by Fraser & Tinne in 1879.^[13] In another major refit in 1891 her boiler was moved forward, its pressure increased, extra compound cylinders added and her masts reduced from 3 to 2.^[14]

Apart from regular maintenance and the major rebuilds, the only event out of the ordinary occurred on 28 May 1911, a day when the Auckland-Devonport ferry got lost, and Rotomahana ran aground near Motuihe Island in heavy fog. However, she refloated on the rising tide and suffered no damage.^[15]

Rotomahana's last day of service seems to have been 28 October 1914,^[16] as she was shortly after given a survey and then laid up.^[17] She was later used for oil storage, until being dismantled^[18] and then sold to McCallum Bros,^[6] who beached her on Pakihi Island in 1924, for use as a wharf.^[19][20] Remains of her hull were still visible in 1999.^[6]

SS Rotomahana being fitted out at the 1874 Fraser and Tinne foundry, Mechanics Bay in 1876

Rotomahana (left) in 1913 loading coal at Auckland

References

1. "Fraser, George". teara.govt.nz. June 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
2. "PORT OF AUCKLAND. DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 21 November 1876. Retrieved 31 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
3. "RETURN OF THE P.S. 'LUNA,' WITH H.R.H THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AND THE GOVERNOR. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 20 December 1870. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
4. "NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 August 1882. Retrieved 20 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
5. Hart, Philip (2016). "PETER FERGUSON AND HIS NEW ERA: THE SECOND BATTERY AT WAIORONGOMAI" (PDF). p. 83.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
6. "Northern Steam Ship Company of Auckland - Vessel details". www.nzmaritimeindex.org.nz. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
7. "NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 April 1890. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
8. "Telegraphic. HAWKE'S BAY HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 July 1890. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
9. "MAIL NOTICE. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 25 June 1898. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
10. "WAKATERE TO GO. THAMES STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 April 1929. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
11. "MAIL NOTICE. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 June 1898. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
12. "CHIEF POST-OFFICE. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 25 January 1892. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
13. "THE S.S. 'ROTOMAHANA. THAMES ADVERTISER". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 June 1879. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
14. "THE NORTHERN S.S. COMPANY'S ROTOMAHANA. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 August 1891. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
15. "A HEAVY FOG. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 May 1911. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
16. "MAIL NOTICE. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 October 1914. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
17. "SHIPPING. EVENING STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 November 1914. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
18. "THE ROTOMAHANA'S END. THAMES STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 February 1924. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
19. "Visitors to McCallum's Island viewing all that remains of the old Rotomahana, a well-known Northern Company vessel, dismantled early in 1924 and sunk at the end of this sandspit NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 June 1930. Retrieved 22 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
20. "PIONEER, VESSEL'S END. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 17 June 1924. Retrieved 23 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links

• 1930 photo of SS Rotomahana as a wharf on Pakihi Island