The Melita.

The Melita, a ship of 914 tons, was chartered by the Shaw, Savill Co., and completed five voyages to New Zealand with passengers and general cargo. She was a very slow sailer, her record passage being over 100 days to Lyttelton.

The Melita's first voyage was made to Port Chalmers. She sailed from Glasgow on July 3rd, with 36 passengers, and was 46 days reaching the equator. Otago Heads was reached on the 2nd November, 1866, and three days later she anchored at Port Chalmers, the passage having occupied 124 days.

In 1867, the ship sailed on July 23rd, and arrived at Lyttelton on the 8th November, making the passage in 108 days.

The following year, 1868, the Melita sailed from London on August 23rd with passengers and cargo, and arrived at Wellington on the 16th December, 118 days out. The ship made a secondpage 173 voyage to Wellington in 1869. She sailed on the 24th August, and arrived on the 15th December, after a passage of 112 days. The third voyage to Wellington was in 1870-71. The ship sailed from London on 10th September, 1870, and arrived on January 1st, 1871, making the passage in 113 days, one day longer than the previous voyage. She brought 43 passengers.