Kaione after the explosion, 28 March 1929. Photographer: T H Whetton. Whanganui Regional Museum Collection Ref: W-S-Aux-020
Kaione after the explosion, 28 March 1929. Photographer: T H Whetton. Whanganui Regional Museum Collection Ref: W-S-Aux-020
In the early 20th century the Whanganui harbour was booming but in danger of falling behind. The Wanganui Harbour Board wanted to accommodate increasingly large ships but the approach and port basin were too shallow and the port equipment was aging.
In May 1914 the WHB borrowed £150,000 ($24 million in 2020) for improvements, including the purchase of a dredge. The winning tender was awarded to Fleming & Ferguson in Paisley, Scotland, for £35,000 ($5 million).
The WHB chose the name Kaione, meaning "Sand Eater".
Museum Notebook
Due to the nature of the work, Kaione would have a number of features new to any dredge in New Zealand at the time. She would measure 58m long, 10.76m wide and 4.85m deep, and be fitted out with a suction plant for lifting sand, as well as a special cutting apparatus for the hard stratum underneath.
Most dredges sucked up matter and took it to sea for dumping but the material gathered by Kaione was needed for reclamation work, so she was fitted with equipment to deposit the material where it was needed.
The commission was finalised in 1914 and work progressed well, but the world headed to war and priorities changed. In August 1915, Fleming & Ferguson asked about war insurance - Kaione was nearing completion but the Imperial German Navy was interrupting shipping and targeting slower ships like Kaione.
The WHB agreed to take out war insurance. Shipping materials were increasingly expensive, however, with resources being commandeered for the war effort. There was concern over sourcing material to build a replacement in case Kaione was sunk, so WHB opted to delay delivery until the seas were safe.
Meanwhile, the British Government had instructed shipyards to refuse private work and focus on the war effort so work on Kaione ground to a halt. In mid-1917 the British Admiralty proposed to requisition Kaione. The WHB considered selling her and purchasing another dredge later but agreed to lease her to the Admiralty.
The WHB considered hiring other New Zealand dredges to complete the harbour development but they were not suitable. The WHB therefore waited until Kaione could be delivered.
In December 1918 the British Admiralty released Kaione. She was tidied up and departed for New Zealand on March 27, 1919, arriving in Wellington on July 28 before heading to Whanganui and beginning work.
A progress report in April 1920 was damning. Kaione was not performing as anticipated. The dredge needed a certain depth to operate effectively and was struggling with the material being dredged. The river was not suitable for a ship of her size and, although her performance would improve the more she worked, the decision was made to hire the Rubi Seddon from Westport Harbour to complete the dredging work.
Arrival of the dredge Kaioni at Castlecliff Wharf, 1919. The south mole is in the background. Whanganui Regional Museum Collection Ref: W-S-Aux-015
The WHB considered selling Kaione but trialled hiring her to other ports. She spent time working in Wellington, Nelson, New Plymouth and Napier, where she performed well, proving to be a successful financial investment.
On 28 March 1929 a suspected leak of benzine oil fumes ignited and caused an explosion on Kaione, resulting in the deaths of Chief Engineer Joseph Cable and Second Engineer Duncan MacKinnon, and injuring crew member William McKeogh.
Kaione was repaired and continued to be hired out before being sold to the Queensland Lime & Cement Company in Brisbane in 1946. She was sold to William Collins & Sons in 1960, before being finally broken up in the Brisbane River in 1969.
•Sandi Black is the archivist at Whanganui Regional Museum.
