The Union Company.

Progress, Volume II, Issue 3, 2 January 1907, Page ii (Supplement)

The Union Company.

It is difficult to associate in one's mind large undertakings with small places, and yet some great industries are carried on in spots whose existence is only known through their being the birth place of some great article of commerce. This thought naturally occurs to one when visiting the court of the Union Steam Ship Company m the Exhibition. It is only just over thirty years ago since this Company began its operations m Dunedin with a fleet of three steamers whose gross tonnage aggregated 724 tons, and whose round of services covered no great distance ; and now its flag is to be seen flying in great centres of commerce m Asia, America and Australasia. Its steamers have carried troops to South Africa, and have been stopped by Russians in the eastern seas. It was the first Company to build steamers of steel, — it was the pioneer of electric lighting m the colonies, and to its order was built the first ocean steamer fitted with turbine machinery. To enumerate its regular services is to make one sigh to use them Visions of passing delicious days in the sunshine of the South Sea Islands, surrounded by all that is beautiful in nature and interesting in uncivilised men, cross our view as we read that every four weeks you can make trips in splendid steamers fitted with up-to-date luxuries to the fair archipelago of Fiji the seductive groups of Samoa and Tonga — and the enchanting Islands of Tahiti and Raratonga. Of its fast growing fleet — at present comprising sixty steamers — the pick run services every few days to Australia and Tasmania, and a large number trade between Australia and Tasmania alone. On the coast of New Zealand — east and west — the red funnel of their boats is to be seen in every port nearly every day, and every month steamers under their management carry the mails from Sydney to Vancouver, calling at Brisbane, Fiji and Honolulu on the way. The opportunity of comparing the fjords of Norway with the famous West Coast Sounds of New Zealand is given by their annual summer steamer cruises to that wonderful region. In their handsome court at the Exhibition are to be seen beautiful models of their splendid steamers, and a glance at these in our illustration will make one really understand why the boats of the Union Company of New Zealand enjoy the reputation they do for safety, comfort, and speed. The Company have five new steamers building at Home at the present time — one of which, a fast turbine steamer of large capacity, is to run a ferry service between Lyttelton and Wellington, bridging the two islands of the colony in a few hours.