THE COASTING TRADE OF NEW ZEALAND.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1154, 10 April 1872, Page 2

THE COASTING TRADE OF NEW ZEALAND.

. The New Zealand Herald of a recent date gays :_' < a return of the number tod tonnage of vessels built in this Colony, also the .num. ber of vessels engaged in the coasting trade, called for by Mr (Jreighton in the House of Representatives during the last session, has jast been printed, and is now before us. Under the bead showing the number and tonnage of all vessels built in the Colony since the of 30th June, 18i3, distinguishing steam 'from sailing vessels, and the Provinces in which they were built, we find :— ln Auckland there have been built .504 vessels, of ' which 22 were steamers, and 482 sailing . vessels, representing a tonnage of 12,935. Of these vessels, 173 were unregistered. Nelson built 67 (65 Bailing vessels, 2 steamers, 065 tons) ; Southland, 50 (49 sailing vessels, 1 steamer, 1068 tons); Canterbury 34 (31 sailing vessels, 3 steamers 1157 tons) ; Wellington 12 (10 sailing vessels, 2 steamers, 211 tons) ; Westland 3 (2 sailing vessels, 1 • steamer, 78 tons); Hawke's Bay, 1 sailing vessel, 14 tons ; and Taranaki, 1 sailing vessel, 90 tons, making a total of 541 vessels, of which 507 were sailing and 34 steamers, giving a tonnage of 16,460. In the return of the number, tonnage and number of crews of the above vessels, engaged in the coasting trade of the Colony, on the 30th January, 1869, we find there were 205 vessels, representing 6509 tons, and manned by 638 men. Of these vessels 129 belonged to Auckland, 24 to Nelson, 17 to Canterbury, 14 to Otago, 8 to Wellington, 7 to Marlborough, and 6 to Southland. The only vessels put down as "foreign vessels engaged in the coasting trade, are two, namely, the Nebraska and the Nevada. In the table which treats of the number, tonnage, and number of crews of British vessels owned and registered inN ew Zealand engaged in the coasting trade on 30th June, 1860, we find 260 vessels, with a tonnage of 11,669, and crews numbering 1116. Of these 260 vessels 36 were steamers, and 223 sailing vessels. Finally, in the table which gives the return of the number, tonnage, and number of crews of British ships not owned and registered in New Zealand, but engaged in its coasting trade, we find 11 vessels (all steamers), with a tonnage of 4003, ; and manned by crews numbering 330. These figures speak for themselves, and show most , unnustakeably how far ahead Auckland is in its' shipping business, not only of any other single Province; but of the whole of the Provinces put together." .' '