The S.S ('Steam Ship') Manuka photographed in Wellington Harbour with the northern end of Oriental Bay in the background. Built by William Denny & Brothers (Dumbarton, Scotland) she was purchased new by the Wellington-based Union Steamship Company as an identical twin to her sister ship, the S.S Moeraki and together they became two of the company's main trans-Tasman passenger vessels. Converted to a troop ship during the First World War, it later returned to its NZ - AU route until it was wrecked on 16th December 1928 after hitting 'Long Point' peninsula off the Otago coast. All 203 passengers and crew were rescued without loss of life.
