Page "Transport in New Zealand" Paragraph 57

Passenger ferry service also operated for many years between Wellington and Lyttleton ( the port closest to Christchurch ).

This service was operated by the Union Steam Ship Company, and the passenger ferries typically operated an overnight service, although in later years the last of these vessels, the Rangatira, operated alternate nights in each direction plus a daylight sailing between Lyttleton up to Wellington on Saturdays ( so as to get a balance of four sailings in each direction, each week ).

One of these passenger ferries, the Wahine, was lost in a storm as it entered Wellington Harbour on 10 April 1968, with the loss of 51 passengers and crew.

The final sailing of the Rangatira, which was custom built and entered service in 1972, was on 15 September 1976, after two money losing years ( subsidised by the NZ government ).