SHIPPING PROGRESS GLASGOWS SHARE. CONNECTION WITH NEW ZEALAND.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 59, 7 September 1926, Page 18

SHIPPING PROGRESS GLASGOWS SHARE. CONNECTION WITH NEW ZEALAND.

liy William Law, Senior' Partner of Messrs. U'hos. Law iS; Co., Shipowners, Glasgow, who has been intimately and •prominently connected with the New Zealand trade for many years.

The Clyde has reason to be proud of its overseas trade, since the development of the river made Glasgow one of the foremost exporting centres in the "United Kingdom. Following upon the opening up of commercial relations with the American colonies and our Far East Dependencies there emerged possibilities with. Australia, first of all in an agricultural sense, and subsequently through the discovery of the Victorian goldfields. The "rush for gold" in the 40's and 50's of last century to Australia gave an impetus to trade there from which there haa been no looking back, and vast developments have been the result from a commercial and industrial point of view. In those early days New Zealand might fitly be termed a "No Mans' Land," but with Australian development New Zealand's turn was bound to come. The resources of a fine soil and healthy climate were" features showing potentialities that appealed to Britishers, and especially to Scottish pioneers who looked for new fields to conquer. Many disappointed in the quest for the yellow metal in Australia found their way over to New Zealand, and there established themselves in the laDd. It naturally followed that direct communication with the Mother Country should be developed and the necessary exchange of commodities etsablished. It ia Glasgow's share of this development that we are concerned'with in this brief article. Up till the middle, of last century the Clyde had few opportunities of doing a trade with New Zealand, but during the 50's and 60's things began to make a showing. The trade was, of course, done by sailing vessels, and these were chiefly concerned with the transport of desirable farm hands, to whom the then Government of New Zealand extended every possible encouragement. During the 50's the sailings were not very frequent, but for the following twenty years up till the late 70's the feature of Clyde departures was the dispatch of emigrant vessels from Glasgow Harbour for the far-off Antipodes. These sailing vessels, all of a good type, for the^ period under notice, accommodated their living freight in the 'tween decks in specially fitted up temporary berths, the usual number of emigrants being fiom 250 to 350 to each vessel, according to size, leaving the lower hold for the stowage of stores, such as food•uiffi, emigrants' baggage, and a limited quantity of cargo. The cargo in those dnys. .consisted mainly of the bare necessities, such as drapery goods, clothing of • all descriptions, household effects, farm implements, tools, etc.; everything that a purely agricultural community might require. And so New Zealand Qevolped from small beginnings, chiefly through the efforts and enterprise of Scottish agriculturalists. In turn they shipped to the home country the produce of their hard labour on the land of their adoption.

FROM SAIL TO STEAM.

For fully half a century the shipping tiade between the Clyde and New Zealand was conducted by sailing clippers. The port of discharge was invariably Port Chalmers, with an occasional vessel at Wellington. The departures of vessels from Glasgow during the yean up to 1900 or 1901, or thereabouts, all of them wind-jammers, would average about eight per annum. At this date, however, a sudden change took place.

It was left to the Federal Steam Navigation Company, in conjunction with the Shaw, Savill and Albion Companies and the New Zealand Shipping Company, to inaugurate a regular steamer service to tho New Zealand ports. These enterprising steamship companies, with vessels fitted with refrigerated holds for the carriage of frozen meat and other perishable cargo, soon made their presence felt. In those early years the companies established a monthly service, combining Glasgow with Avonmouth and Liverpool as the loading ports, with the result that outward cargoes immediately increased in volume by leaps and bounds. The merchandise comprising the outward cargoes shipped by these steamers constitutes the most miscellaneous assortment of goods that is carried from one part of the world to another. Glasgow can well challenge any other port m the world for variety' of export, and this especially applies to its trade with New Zealand, as everything from a needle to an anchor manufactured in Scotland is exported from the Clyde to our kith and kin on the other side of the globe. It is needless to take up valuable space going into details. Beginning with monthly sailings the volume of trade expanded so rapidly that within a few years it was found necessary to increase the service to a dispatch every three weeks. Still increasing, they are at the present time offering opportunities fortnightly, and it is safe to say that the cargo tonnage is at least 100 per cent., heavier. than twenty years ago.

HEAVY IMPORT TRADE.

Whilst the manufacturers and exporters of Scotland have shared the benefits of this fine service to New Zealand there still remains to be said something in regard to the import side. As already mentioned, these vessels are fully equipped for the carriage of frozen meat and dairy produce of all kinds, and of theße articles of consumption so necessary to our insular population, Glasgow imports large quantities as well as general cargo (products of the land). A quarter of a century ago this trade was very limited, represented by about 400 tons per vessel. In the interval it has quadrupled. In addition to the items named consignments of apples and canned meats are imported direct to the Clyde. There is every indication of the trade with the Dominion of New Zealand continuing- to expand, notwithstanding the enormous increase during the past twenty years. The Federal Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., the New Zealand Shipping Co., Ltd., and the Shaw- Savill, and Albion Co., Ltd.', can thus look back with considerable credit to their foresight in the development of their Glasgow service and deserve the reward of their enterprise. Larger and faster vessels, equipped with the most modernappliances for the handling and stowage of those valuable and perishable cargoes are being added to their fleet yearly. The Clyde can therefore rely on a continuity of the expansion of its trade to one of its most loyal and enterprisinß overseas customers.