SHIPPING TRADE WITH ENGLAND

Southland Times, Issue 24241, 26 September 1940, Page 5

SHIPPING TRADE WITH ENGLAND

GROWTH OF EXPORTS FROM N.Z. ADDRESS AT ROTARY CLUB LUNCHEON The development of New Zealand’s shipping trade with the United Kingdom was traced by Mr J. Mcllwraith in an address at the weekly luncheon of the Invercargill Rotary Club. ' “The early mariners, sailing uncharted seas on their voyages of discovery, must command the admiration of all,” said Mr Mcllwraith. “Their small ships rounded the Cape of Good Hope and on the homeward run, Cape Hom. In these latitudes fierce storms were encountered and these, together with icebergs, created the dangers which make our early shipping records sad reading. “No cavalcade of our shipping growth could be complete without the first mention of the prodigious feat of the Maoris, who in their small canoes, about 100 feet in length, crossed the seas and inhabited these islands long before the white men made their voyage of discovery. It is thought they first landed in the year 900 or thereabouts, but the main landing was in 1350.” After describing the arrival of Abel Tasman and Captain James Cook, Mr Mcllwraith went on to speak of the arrival of the whalers, who were followed by the sealers. The sealers, he said, slaughtered indiscriminately, with the result that the seals were wiped out and a valuable industry was ruined by their greed and lack of vision. The ship Fancy arrived in the Hauraki Gulf in 1794, where the natives were friendly and, in exchange for iron, were prepared to barter anything required by the white men. The Fancy loaded timber, of which there was ample choice, while native flax was used for rope making. The vessel’s entire running gear was replaced by ropes made on the spot.

j SHEEP INTRODUCED Captain McArthur, the then Governor of New South Wales, introduced wool sheep into New Zealand in 1803, but they were not considered a trading asset for some time. About 1814 the export of kauri timber was begun. Kauri gum export started in 1826 and in this the Maoris found a trade more to their liking as its gathering was less ’tedious than the preparing of flax. The New Zealand Land Company started plans for colonization in 1839 and the ship Tory left London ahead of the emigrant fleet of transports. Her voyage took 102 days and was considered. very fast. The main emigrant fleet sailed from London, Portsmouth and Glasgow. In all there were five ships carrying 704 emigrants and 152 other passengers. Wool was now being exported to New South Wales and Tasmania. Livestock and cattle were being imported from Sydney. The first really big sheep run was established in the Wairarapa in 1844. This marked the beginning of the wool export trade to the United Kingdom. British ship owners now found that they could get freights both ways, although it was only possible to manage one round trip a year. At this time ships of about 300 or 400 tons vzere considered large enough for the service. The first screw steamer to visit New Zealand was the steamship Ann of 154 tons, which, came from Sydney in 1853, continued Mr Mcllwraith. She caused a sensation and an immediate clamour arose for the foundation of a steamer service around the coast and also to Australia. The bunkering difficulties and expense were considered too great, and it was some years before the demand was satisfied. Until 1873 the United Kingdom shipping trade was in the hands of the United Kingdom ship owners, but in that year colonial merchants formed a shipping company, which began sailings in 1874. Under the growing threat of steam the windjammers began to speed ud their passages. EXPORT OF MEAT The export of meat began in 1882 when the Dunedin, fitted with the Bell Coleman refrigerating machinery, acted as freezing factory and carrier. Freshlykilled carcasses were received on board and frozen, after which they were stowed in the ship’s frozen chambers for transit. After a broken crankshaft had been replaced the Dunedin sailed on February 15, 1882, arriving in London 98 days later with her cargo in excellent condition.

“The invention of the cream separator made the cheese export trade possible and about 1884 the dairy produce export business began. The first dairy factory to begin operations was Edendale, with the trade mark Pioneer. This factory earned a Government bounty of £5OO for the first 50 tons of cheese exported. About 1890 the use of sails in auxiliary steamers was discontinued and the expansion of the frozen meat and dairy produce trade called for larger numbers of cargo carriers. The year 1893 saw the entrance into the trade of several vessels of about 8000 tons rnd 500 feet in length. These were twin screw vessels.

Until 1911 many vessels were “lost without trace,” but the invention of wireless and its early adoption on ships was a boon to mariners. * The Great War found the New Zealand shipping service well organized and fitted with suitable vessels for all requirements, including the carriage of troops. Naturally, ship-building was restricted to naval requirements and it was not until peace was declared that ship replacements could be made. * PANAMA CANAL OPENED The greatest event in the shipping trade after the change over to steam was in 1916, when the Panama Canal was opened to traffic. Neither Balboa in 1513 nor Drake in. 1573 as they gazed from the heights of the isthmus, could have thought that the two great oceans would one day meet. A comparison of the early vessels of about 200 tons with a present-day mammoth liner of more than 27,000 tons provided sufficient proof, if any were needed, that seamanship and engineering skill was the heritage of the British. “To those who ‘go down to the sea in ships’ we must pay homage,” said Mr Mell wraith. Mr Mcllwraith was accorded a vote of thanks for his address.