the Hurunui, one of the five ships built in 1875 by Palmers and Co. for the New Zealand Shipping Company's flag, was an unfortunate craft. She had a narrow escape when bound for Otago by colliding in the English Channel with another of the company's ships, the Waitara, bound for Wellington, and, after sailing the seas for forty years, was sunk on the 4th May, 1915, off St. Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight, by a German submarine. She

the Hurunui, First Ship In Lyttelton Dock.

was then rigged as a barque, flying the Russian ensign, and had been renamed the Hermes.

The first disaster to the Hurunui occurred on June 22, 1883. The two ships, Hurunui and Waitara, left Gravesend together in the evening, and shortly after the weather became thick and hazy. the Hurunui struck the Waitara twice amidships, and the latter sank in a few minutes while endeavours were being made to lower the boats. A few of the Waitara's passengers clambered on board the Hurunui when the collision occurred. the Hurunui's boats were immediately lowered, and succeeded in picking up a number of the Waitara's passengers and crew out of the water. Altogether sixteen of the Waitara's passengers and crew were saved, including the master, chief officer and an apprentice, and twenty of the passengers and crew were drowned.

the Hurunui, severely damaged, put back, discharged her cargo, was docked for repairs, and sailed a month later for Port Chalmers, making the passage in 95 days. This disaster, coupled with the sinking in the Channel of an emigrant ship bound for Tasmania, resulted in the embarkation of passengers at London being prohibited for some time. The outward bound ships loaded at the London docks, and for several years after 1883 called at Plymouth for passengers.

Captain Stevens, for some years master of the Union Co.'s Wanaka andpage 259 other ships, was an apprentice on board the Hurunui when the collision occurred in the Channel, and Captain Hazelwood was in command.