Biggest ship a jinx, say Fijians

It did not take long for stories of a jinx to get around when the Fiji Government’s new ship, the Kaunitoni, 580 tons, had propeller trouble on the maiden voyage from Suva to Lau in January and had to turn back. The Kaunitoni was launched with a flourish in November, 1975. It is the biggest ship built in Fiji.

Rumours were that the Kaunitoni was unlucky because it was not sent to sea for the first time with proper Fijian ceremonies. The Fiji Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, was unmoved. He believed there were strictly scientific explanations for the trouble, such as ill-fitting valves in the hydraulic system.

The trouble convinced Captain Arthur Evans, a well-known figure in Fiji shipping circles, that he should retire as managing director of the Princess Shipping Co, which he founded in 1961, and devote all his energies to the Kaunitoni. At the time the Kaunitoni was launched, it was announced that it would be operated on a commercial basis under the management of Captain Evans, who continued as chief executive of Princess Shipping.

It must have been a wrench for Captain Evans to sever his connection with Princess Shipping, which he has seen through good times and bad. He started Princess Shipping with the wooden-hulled Fijian Princess, operating over all routes in Fiji.

The demand for service saw him add three wooden-hulled ships to his fleet.

These were the Dobin', later renamed Viani Princess, the Asha,

renamed the Gau Princess and the Taivalevadra. The Viani Princess sank off Lekube Point, Bua, and the Gau Princess was wrecked on a reef off Cikobia.

In the 19605, Captain Evans de cided to convert to steel-hulled ships, starting off with a fishing vessel, named Fijian Princess 11. Two other steel-hulled ships were bought, the Labasa Princess and the Tovata. The Labasa Princess was wrecked on a ree f off Vatoa.

His Fijian Princess II was a Japanese fish-catcher, new out of the shipyard, which ran on a reef off Nairai island in Fiji on December 23, 1974.

Captain Evans bought it, as is. where is, for a few hundred pounds.

Then, in March, 1965, in a do-it yourself salvage job, he dived to inspect the hull and to see how firmly she was held by the reef. Using his own ships and the government-owned Degei 11, he pulled his prize off the reef with his first attempt, The operation cost him around £5,000. His shipping line, which he operated in partnership with a Fiji- Indian merchant, got an almost-new ship valued at between £60,000 and

£Bo,Ooo.

At the time of Captain Evans’ retirement, the Princess Shipping Co was operating the Tovata and the Fijian Princess 11. The Kaunitoni was to replace the Tovata on the Lau service, while the Tovata was used elsewhere. This policy may still be followed when the troubles with the Kaunitoni are overcome and it is able to go into a regular service.