History of Shipbuilding in Auckland

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 720, 20 July 1929, Page 17

History of Shipbuilding in Auckland

WW First Boat Built in New Zealand in 1792 ',lndustry in the City and the Northland— Many T ypes of Craft Designed

(Written for THE SUN by LAW’RIE MOIR.) “ g;:-.’—.?;-—.»_.._. HEN the Argon--1:] 3:3: I auts felled the 1:35;; . pines on Pelion, h'EE -': and shaped {if-ALE ! them with the h gig-3}”, ' axe, and Argus 1‘ ___—— taught them to build a galley, the first ions ship which sailed the seas." The ages have rolled on since Jason and his band of heroes of the Minuai launched the good ship Argo, and ever .lnce man has been seeking and findmg fleeces. To do so he must have hi . 5 19;. first settlement of white men on our shores—temporary though it way—before the end of the 18th century, busied itself with the building or a boat. From that day to this the shipbuilding industry on our own shores has grown in its own small way and in recent times declined again. In the early days it was insep”ably linked up with the very life of the hardy pioneers who planted the flag of Empire in this land. There was a day—the day of the graceful old clippers—when ships in New Zealand were regarded with much more interest than they are today. The arrival or even the motorsm‘p Aorangi at Auckland excites very little interest outside immediate shipping circles. There was a day when it was different. The first vessel, other than Maori canoes or course, to be built in New Zealnnd was laid down at Dusky Bay. in the South Island, in 1792. Twelve people had been brought there on the gun “Britannia," from Port Jackson. and when she returned to take them on udn in 1793, Captain Raven found that than he had left there were in good math, and had been chiefly occupied in the construction or a vessel to serve them in the event of anything premfln‘ the Britannia ever returning to New Zealand.

The twelve isolated white men, had, a! courts. no occasion to use the vesnl. in they were taken or: by the "Bunnie," but she was eventually brought Into service, nearly two years later. when the provision ship “Endeavour" mlved at Dusky Bay. The “Endeavour” was in such a leery nut. that she had to be run ashore and scuttled, and the crew nndlng the ship which had been begun by the carpenter of the “Britan-

In." comnleted and launched her. She was fitted up as a. schooner by Captun Bullpton, and in her he sailed for Norton Island. commenting on the construction of the “Providence" (for so she was W by the men of the Endeavour 'h meleted her) an historian of “flint New Zealand says:— The ‘Provldence’ was in all human mhbfljty the first vessel built in Amman" There were some who did not sail 0n “the Providence.” They remained at Dusky 3‘! and later built a boat from a“ long boat or the “Endeavour,” and M“ in her—the "Assistance" she "3 Muted—some tlme later. The outside world was first attract- “ t 0 the shores of New Zealand as 3 been for sealing and whaling, and before the end 0! the 18th century, "‘° “dine trade had been well estab“dud. although the very promoters "1 the enterprise themselves probably M little idea then of the vast posstmm“ which these temperate seas 1““ in store. Tl“F’abundance or timber in the M loon attracted the attention of “W Nit-Ida world to New Zealand. (I’m Raven of the “Britannia” in 1‘” m reported that the timber to 5° (mind in New Zealand was “light, M and in every respect fit for M and yards.” Pall. in 1794, the ship “Fancy” left In J“11011 commanded by Mr. Dell 1'" Zea-land. She spent three

months at Thames, cutting spars for the Indian navy. It is said that thel expedition felled more than 200 large trees during its stay, although surrounded on all sides by warlike tribes. The next record of a vessel calling at. New Zealaud for the express purpose ot cutting spars, was in 1798, when the “Hunter” arrived at Thames. The visits of these vessels mark the opening of the kauri export

trade which in later years was to reach such dimensions.

In 1809 the ship “City of Edinburgh” (Captain Pattison) loaded timber at the bay of Islands for the use of the British Navy at the Cape of Good Hope. This was the beginning of the timber trade in the north, and soon a large business had sprung up with England and Australia. In those days before the advent of steam, immense spars were required [or the making of topmasts for the larger classes of ships in the Navy, and it had become very difficult to get them elsewhere. The trade was opened up with the Hokianga district when the “Drome dary" arrived at the Bay of Islands in 1820, and being unable to find accessible kauri there, went round to the other coast. Another landmark in the shipbuilding history of New Zealand was reached in 1828 when a brigantine of 200 tons was built at Hokianga by Messrs. Raine and Ramsay. She was named the “New Zealander” and in December of that year arrived at Port Jackson with a load of flax and timber. It was said of her that she was one of the prettiest vessels of her class that had entered Sydney har—bour up to that time. Some idea of the struggle of the pioneers of the shipbuilding industry in the colony is to be gained from the fact that three of the smaller vessels built at Hokianga in the early days

were seized and burned by the Maoris. The “New Zealander" continued running till 1836, and was regarded as the swittest sailer trading from Port Jackson. Her end came in 1836, however, When en route from the Bay of Islands to the East Coast she was driven on to the rocks in Table Bay and wrecked. The crew reached shore in safety. One of the finest vessels ever built

in Auckland, and for that matter in New Zealand, was the famous Circular Saw clipper, “Novelty.” She was built by Mr. Henry Niccol, father or the present well-known shipbuilder, Mr. George Niccol. The “Novelty" made consistently fast passages between Auckland and Sydney, her fastest trip being 6 days 16 hours. She was a beautiful little barque, and was launched from Mr. Niccol’s yards at Mechanics Bay in 18762: 7 7

At one time regarded as the leading shipbuilding establishment in New Zealand, the firm of Messrs. Lane and Brown was established at Totara North, Whangaroa, in 1870. _The firm

cut the kauri from its property, and used, also, the harder woods puriri and pohutukawa, and imported blue gum and iron bark from Australia. The firm supplied vessels for Sydney, the South Sea Islands, and New Guinea, and had turned out 70 pearling craft ranging from 12 to 320 tons each, before 1900. The "Rainbow,” 8. fine schooner or 320 tons was‘lauuched in 1887. Other vessels of that and the previous decade were the “Active,” “Alert,” and “Maile,” a 270 ton schooner. A branch of the Northern firm was established in Auckland in 1905, known as Messrs. T. M. Lane & Sons, Ltd. About three years ago the name was changed to that of the Lane Motor Boat Company, which is controlled by Mr. M. W. Lane.

The Auckland firm in recent years has concentrated on motor boat building, and has to its credit the first really fast cruiser built at Auckland, the “Defender” of 1913-14. The “Dev fender” was really built as a demon—stration vessel, and with the then tremendously powerful 24 to 48 11.1), engines she was capable of a. speed of 16 knots.

Compared with the “Defender.” the latest vessel of the type, is the “Pouui” built by the firm for Mr. H. Chamber—lain. She has 200 h.p. Scripps engines and does over 20 knots. Among the dozens of boats built by

the firm, thejollowiug are some of‘ the best known —— “Empress,” “Regina,” “Rothsay,” “Molly," “Rainbow," “Latex,” and “Jean.”

The grand old man of shipbuilding in Auckland at the present time is Mr. Charles Bailey. He was formerly of the firm Charles Bailey, junior, but the name is now Charles Bailey and Son. Mr. Bailey. who will be 65 in October next, has been actively engaged in the industry for over half a century now. and is still known as Charles Bailey, junior, because in the past it was necessary to distinguish between him and his father. Ever since he could walls! when as a

toddler of three and tour he held a candle for his father at work at night, shipbuilding has been really second nature to Mr. Bailey. As a. schoolboy he had to hurry home from school down to his father’s yard to give a. hand, and was always up early in the morning to get steam up for steaming the timber. He went to work when 14, and a year later built his first boat. After 51' years at the business, during which time he has turned out well on the way to 2,000 vessels, Mr. Bailey looks; back with pride on that first boat ofi his. It was a 16-foot open sailing? boat, built by candle light in his spare time. The first Bailey shipbuilding firm was established in 1870 by Mr. Bailey’s father, Who built a number of racing vessels which competed, not only in New Zealand, but also in Sydney, Melbourne and elsewhere. He. also constructed some of the finest o! Auckland's ferries of that day. The founder of the firm won the de signing competition which resulted in FOR THE LATE KING OF TONGA—The 26 foot rater yacht “Onelua” which Mr. Charles Bailey considers “fig: was his best efiort of a lifetime at yacht building. The: “onelua” made (1 record passage of 7 days from Auckland to Tonga. on her maiden voyage, under trysail and staysail in, in 1917.

his building, in 1881, the ferry steamer, “Britannia,” now past her days of usefulness as a passenger ferry. Two years previously he built \the ferry “Victoria.” The first schooner turned out by the firm was the "Agnes Donald” for the founder of Messrs. A. B. Donald, Ltd., 55 years ago. In those now far away days, the schooner yacht, “Uli Lalakeuba” and the cutter-yacht “Daphne” (for the father of the late general manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company) were also built. It is also 55 years ago since the yacht “Fleetwing” was built. The vessel, which was famous as a. winner 01 many events at Auckland regattas, is still afloat at Lyttelton. In later years Mr. Bailey built the schooner. “Fleetwing,” for the South Sea Islands.

A boat which had a tragic end after many years of service was the

“Pet” built originally for Mr Charles Hill. She was smashed in a. gale near Wellington about three years ago. She was a. very

popular vessel, and one of the biggesx‘ prize—winners of the south. A famous yacht, was the “Toy,” built 50 years ago by Mr. Bailey, sen. She won two races in Wellington on her first appearance there, and followed this up with another doublebarrelled victory at Lyttleton. Returning to Auckland she proved herself to be the chamnipn of the open-

boat class, and after that, went on her winniyg my;

Mr. Bailey rwas designer and builder of most of the ferries plying on the W'aitemata harbour today, the first being the “Albatross," then the “Kestrel,” "Peregrine," “Ngoiro,” and “Lake Takapuna.” The “Tor-oa.” was built by Mr. George Niccol. Among the schooners built by Mr. Bailey in the early days of his career, was the schooner—yacht “La Carabine,” in 1903. She was to the order of the famous Victorian baroqet-sportsman, Sir Rupert Clarke, and is said to be still afloat, the property of a. wealthy Chinese in New Guinea. Sir Rupert thought that “La Carabine” was one of the finest vessels he had ever set foot upon. Later Mr. Bailey built the 40-ton ketch “Era” for Sir Rupert. In 1898 Mr. Bailey pulled off a big event with his “Laurel” at Port Jackson as a result of which he was asked to design a boat which would defeat several very fast vessels then competing in Australian waters. This re—sulted in the delivery, the following year, of the “Bona” which carried all before her in Port Jackson. It is only two years ago now sinCp the “Laurel” won a championship in \Vestern Australia. The present rater "Speedwell,” de—signed and built by Mr. Bailey for the owner of the “Avalon,” of Sanders Cup fame, is reckoned to be one of the fastest boats for her size in Australia or New Zealand. Among some of the better known schooners built were the “Vitae” and

“Tiare Taporo” (the Tahitian name for lime blossom) for Messrs. A. B. Donald? The latter was considered to be one of the finest schooners in the South Sea Islands, and is at present at the Penx‘hyn pearling base. The “Vitae” is also still afloat. Mr. Bailey considers that the best schooner he ever built was the illfated “Strathcona” for the Pacific

Cable Board in 1915. She was a. hand-I some. and at the same time a fast vessel, capable of 15 knots. and was built, to run with stores and employees

oi the Pacific Cable Board between 1 Fanning Island and Honolulu. : She was wrecked on her maiden voyage on the notorious Minerva reef, i 3 one of the most dangerous reefs in the 1 South Seas. % In the days which are now past.‘ Auckland was famed all over Australia and New Zealand for its racing craft. To this high standing nothing contributed more than the friendly rivalry

between the Logans and the Baileyin the shipbuilding world. After 51 years at the game. Mr. Bailey is still as keenly interested in the trade which he has followed with such success, and every day may be seen at work at his yards in Freeman’s Bay supervising the addition of every plank to any vessel which he may be building.