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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts]

[introduction]

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New Zealand, owing to its extensive seaboard, the large number of good harbours it possesses, and its steadily increasing prosperity, is naturally the centre of a large shipping trade, which is also an important factor in its progress. The three principal islands, of which the colony of New Zealand mainly consists, have a coast line aggregating 4330 miles in length, and there are numerous lesser islands, and several other distinct groups. The earliest record of vessels visiting New Zealand is that of the 13th of December, 1642, when the Dutch navigator, Abel Jausen Tasman, came in sight of the Middle Island in his yacht “Heemskirk,” which was accompanied by the “Zeehaen,” fly-boat. From the time of Tasman's departure, there is no authentic account of any ship visiting the country, till the 6th of October, 1769, on which day Captain Cook sighted land at Young Nick's Head, and two days later cast anchor at Poverty Bay. He spent some time in exploring the coastline of the main islands, and took his departure from Cape Farewell for Australia, on the 31st of March, 1770; but he returned, however, in the years 1773, 1774, and 1777. During the period covered by Captain Cook's earliest visit, a French officer, M. de Surville, in command of the ship “Saint Jean Baptiste,” sighted the north-east coast of New Zealand on the 12th of December, 1769, and remained on the seaboard for some time, Another French officer, M. Marion du Fresne, visited the west coast of the North Island,
The Wharves, Nelson. Brusewitz, photo.

The Wharves, Nelson. Brusewitz, photo.

page 593 on the 24th of March, 1772, and was murdered by the Maoris at the Bay of Islands on the 12th of June in the same year. In the year 1793, Lieutenant Hanson, in command of the ship “Daeadalus,” came to New Zealand on behalf of the Government of New South Wales, and from that time onwards occasional communication was maintained between Australia and New Zealand. In the year 1814 the pioneer Anglican missionaries arrived from New South Wales at the Bay of Islands, and on the 10th of June, 1823, the first Wesleyan missionaries took possession of their station at Kaeo, Whangaroa.

Trustworthy records of shipping appear to have been commenced only in the year 1822, and these naturally covered the entire services of Australia, inclusive of New Zealand. In that year 268 vessels were entered and cleared at the whole of the ports; and the average registered tonnage —under 552 tons—gave a total for the year of 147,869 tons. In the year 1841 the figures show considerable increase in the number of vessels—2,576; though the tonnages had been reduced to an average of 214. Ten years later, the statistics show for Australia alone 4780 vessels of 975,959 tons, or an average of 204 tons—a further reduction in the average register. In this year—1851—separate returns for New Zealand are given for the first time; and 560 vessels entered and cleared at the ports of the colony. The average tonnage of these ships—200 tons—gives a total gross tonnage of 112,140 tons. Four years later, records were made distinguishing inward bound vessels from outward bound vessels, and in that year ships aggregating 88,614 tons entered inwards, and aggregating 79,825 tons, outwards. In the succeeding year, besides figures under these headings, ships registered in and belonging to the colony were also tabulated, and this local tonnage amounted to 6662 tons, gross. From the year 1858 to 1864 good progress was made; the increase for ten years being 335,390 tons inwards—total 426,004, and outwards 353,428, increased total, 433,253; locally owned vessels having advanced 15,911 gross register, the total being 22,573 tons. During the next ten years, owing no doubt to the unsettled state of affairs caused by the Maori war, and afterwards to the withdrawal of the troops, both inward and outward shipping showed a considerable falling-off; during the first half of the decade it amounted to 26,708 and 47,720 tons, respectively. Notwithstanding this setback in foreign vessels, the locally owned fleet made remarkable progress, with an increase of 16,362 tons, the total being 38,935, gross tonnage. During the decennium ending 1884, the New Zealand fleets increased steadily and showed an advance of nearly 150 per cent., or 53,761 tons; the total standing at 92,696 tons. A decided extension was also evident in the general returns, the figures recorded showing 529,188 and 534,242 tons, respectively, for inward and outward entries. Further progress was exhibited in 1894, although the figures reached some two or three years previously had not been maintained. The tables show 631,100, 631,250, and 99,388, respectively, as gross tonnages inward, outward, and locally owned. Of the 609 vessels which entered the ports of the colony, the average tonnages were 1036, with crews aggregating 21,834; while the 614 ships that cleared, averaged 1028 tons, with 21,934 persons to work them. The most important advance all round appears in the returns for the decennium ending 1904, when the figures were: 1,154,569 gross tonnages of inward ships, 1,144,764 of outward, and 157,334, for locally owned vessels. Taking the records for the year immediately preceding, 608 vessels had departed, the average tonnage being 1786; and 617 arrived, averaging 1830 tons, while the persons employed numbered 30,660 and 30,600, respectively. Of the inward ships, representing 1,102,064 tons, 145 of 455,741 tons, carrying crews numbering 7,799 souls, were British; 403 of 478,419 tons, manned by 16,407 persons, were colonial; and sixty-nine of 167,904 tons, carrying crews of 6,304, were foreign owned ships. In the same year there were 570 ships, including coastal vessels, belonging to, and registered in, the colony; and these are excluded from the foregoing figures. Of these colonial vessels, 335 were sailers, of 46,042 tons gross, and 235 were steamers, aggregating 104,867 tons. By far the largest number—302—were owned in Auckland, but these averaged only 106 tons, while the remaining 268 vessels, belonging to six other ports, had an average of 443 tons. Although during the recent decennial period the number of oversea vessels has continued much the same, the average size of such ships has been nearly doubled.

It would be an impossible task to give details and descriptions of the ocean-going, intercolonial, and coastal fleets of the New Zealand mercantile marine, but a few of the big liners trading regularly to the colony, are noticed in these pages, to indicate the facilities that are now afforded to traders and travellers.

The expansion which has taken place in shipping in recent years has not, only resulted in larger and more powerful vessels, but, naturally, in increased comfort to voyagers. The hardships of a four-months' voyage in an old-fashioned immigrant ship have become a thing of memory and tradition, and floating palaces now convey the new-comer to New Zealand ports in forty-two days, under conditions of elegance and ease. The refrigerating process has worked miracles, not only in the development of the colony, but in life on board ship, for in place of the “salt horse” of the old sailers, fresh provisions are served to passengers of all classes, as well as to the crews.

New Zealand has given birth to several shipping companies, whose operations have substantially contributed to improvement in coastal, intercolonial, and world-wide communication. The most prominent of these are the New Zealand Shipping Company, Limited, the Union Steam Ship Company, Limited, and the Northern Steamship Company, Limited. The history of the New Zealand Shipping Company (which has its headquarters in Christchurch) will be found at page 378 in the Canterbury volume of this Cyclopedia. Dunedin is the home of the Union Steam Ship Company, which is fully referred to on pages 400–3 of the Otago volume, and at page 791 of the Wellington volume. The Northern Steamship Company, Limited, naturally page 594 belongs to Auckland, and its history is given on pages 444–5 of the Auckland volume of this work.

An Australian company—the Huddart-Parker Proprietary, Limited—has for a number of years supplied up-to-date connection by regular intercolonial traders; and some particulars of its operations will be found on page 775 of the Wellington volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand.

However, the passenger and freight carrying trade of the colony is far from being wholly undertaken by local or even colonial vessels. In fact, New Zealand is extensively connected with British shipping firms, companies, and combines. Prominent amongst these is the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company, Limited, some information concerning which appears on page 782 of the Wellington volume of this work. The Tyser Line, Limited, the Federal Houlder and Shire Combine, and the New Zealand and African Steam Ship Company, Limited, also carry passengers and all kinds of merchandise to and from New Zealand, and to and from all parts of the world.