More than 50 years ago there was general dissatisfaction right through the colony with regard to the class of tonnage then employed in the London-New Zealand trade, and the crisis came about the year 1871, when two notable ships (Helenslea and Bulwark) that arrived within a few months of each other, delivered their cargo in a most disgraceful condition through damage by seawater, breakage, etc. In fact, some of the Helenslea's cargo had actually to be dug out of her. the Bulwark arrived after a passage of something like nine months, having called at Mauritius en route, in a badly leaking condition, and so extensive were the necessary repairs that the master had to resort to raising funds under a "bottomry bond" before he could leave the port.

This was before the days of cable communication, and consequently when a shipmaster got into trouble and put into a "port of refuge" he had either to wait the remittance of funds by the ordinary course of mail, after his owners had received advice as to his whereabouts and condition, or he had to mortgage his ship under a bottomry bond.

Broke The Camel's Back.

These two notable ships were, so to speak, "The last straw to break the camel's back," and the New Zealand merchants decided to set about placing themselves in a more independent position.

That was in the old provincial days, when each province tried to "paddle its own canoe," and to such an extent was this carried out that it was actually suggested that each of the four chief towns should form its own small shipping company with a board of directors for each at this end, but with a general board of colonial merchant directors in London to look after the outward business from that end. The Auckland and Christchurch companies were actually floated and necessary share capital subscribed.

Many people are under the impression that the New Zealand Shipping Company, of Christchurch, was the pioneer company, but this is incorrect, as the New Zealand Freight Company, of Auckland, is entitled to that place, it having been incorporated and registered on July 1, 1872. The directors were Dr. J. L. Campbell (chairman), and Messrs. Clark, Isaacs, Shera and von der Heyde, and Mr. John Batger was secretary. The New Zealand Shipping Company was incorporated and registered on January 6, 1873.

A meeting of shareholders in the Christchurch company was held on January 24, 1873, to elect the first board of directors, who were Messrs. G. Gould, R. H. Rhodes, R. Cobb, J. T. Peacock, John Anderson, Wm. Reeves, C. W. Turner and J. L. Coster. The last mentioned who was elected chairman, was manager of the Bank of New Zealand. In London the company was represented by Mr. C. W. Turner, manager, and Captain William Ashby, marine superintendent.

Amalgamation.

The Freight Company had out three vessels (Hylton Castle, 548 tons, Fontenoy, 636 tons, and Ferndale, 416 tons). It was then realised that to successfully compete with Shaw, Savill and Co., united action throughout New Zealand and more financial strength were necessary. As both the Freight and New Zealand Shipping Companies were financed by the Bank of New Zealand an amalgamation was easily arranged, by which the Freight Company shareholders took up an equal interest in the Shipping Company. It may be asked why did not the Freight Company absorb the Shipping Company, seeing that the head offices of the bank and its two other off-shoots (New Zealand Insurance Company and New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company) were all in Auckland, and the financial strength was then without a doubt centred in Auckland? The reason doubtless was to gain the assistance and support of the Canterbury squatters, as they were then the chief exporters of wool and grain. Auckland's exports were at that time chiefly gum, flax and South Sea Island produce.

Dunedin's trade, it may be mentioned, was chiefly with Glasgow, and the necessary tonnage was supplied by P. Henderson and Co. (Albion Company, subsequently amalgamated with Shaw Savill and Co. under the name of Shaw Savill and Albion Co.), and being a Scotch community the sympathies of the Dunedin people were then more with Glasgow than London.

Small Beginnings.

The first vessel to arrive at this port under the New Zealand Shipping Company's flag (which was then a white sheet with the letters "N.Z." over "S. Co." in blue—the St. George's cross having been added later on) was the ship Hindustan, 833 tons, on November 17, 1873. The first ships that the company owned were four they purchased, and in addition to the Hindustan, were the Dorette, Scimitar and Dunfillan, whose names were afterwards changed to Waitara, Waimea, Rangitikei, and Mataura. The first ships the company had built were the Rakaia, Waikato, Waitangi and Waimate, which were constructed under the supervision of Captain Ashby by Blumer at Sunderland. In the next batch built were the Orari, Otaki, Hurunui, Waipa and Wairoa, constructed by Palmers, of the Tyne. The last three vessels specially built for the company were the Piako, Opawa and Wanganui. Two well-known boats they acquired by purchase were the Turakina (formerly the City of Perth) and the Pareora (formerly the White Eagle).

Into Steam.

In 1883 the company went into steam. In that year it contracted with J. Elder and Co. (Fairfield Works) for the construction of the Tongariro, Aorangi, Rimutaka, Kaikoura, and Ruapehu, but the service was actually started with the chartered steamers British Queen, British King, Ionic, Catalonia and Doric The Catalonia was taken up for one voyage only in order to keep faith with the public (the Doric's delivery being delayed) and great expense was incurred by the company in fitting her out with refrigerating machinery, the whole of which had to be removed when she was returned to her owners, the Cunard Company. The arrival of the Catalonia in New Zealand marked the first appearance of the Cunard flag in these waters.

In 1884 the New Zealand Shipping Company were able to dispense with chartered steamers with the exception of boats for the carriage of general cargo in the wool season, and they then ran a monthly service, with their own fleet. As the trade increased the company began to add cargo boats to their fleet, the first being the Otarama, Tekoa and the Waikato. With the building of the first Ruahine a new type was introduced into the company's fleet—the central citadel for accommodating saloon passengers—and this type is now adopted by all passenger lines.

Control From London.

The company's present fleet is thoroughly up-to-date. The principal passenger steamers are fitted for burning oil fuel, and the cargo boats with turbines of different types. The fleet has been increased from time to time until now, with its subsidiary company (the Federal Company) there are 38 vessels of 357,213 tons gross under its control, besides which it acts as agents for a number of other lines.

When the company started its line of steamers the financial control to a great extent drifted to London, and under the amalgamation scheme with the P. and O. Company, the whole of the ordinary shares in the Shipping Company were taken over by the P. and O. in exchange for an equivalent amount of P. and O. stock.

The first shipment of frozen meat from Auckland was taken by the company's barque Mataura in 1883, and as there were no shore freezing works in those days, the fresh killed meat had to be taken down to the ship and frozen on board. As may be imagined, this was a very slow process. The condition of the first shipment on arrival at London was not satisfactory, and many were the difficulties that had to be got over before the meat trade was brought up to its present state of efficiency.

On examining the old documents of the Freight Company one cannot help noticing how things have changed during the last 50 years in Auckland, one instance of it being that out of 67 names appearing on the original list of shareholders in the New Zealand Freight Company only six of the firms are now in existence: A. Clark and Sons, E. Porter and Co., W. C. Wilson, H. Brett, A. Buckland and Sons, Kempthorne, Prosser and Co. (N.Z. Drug Co.), and H. B. Morton.

It is interesting to note that from 1872 to 1922 the Freight Company and the New Zealand Shipping Company had only two managers in Auckland—Mr. John Batger, who was secretary of the Freight Company, and afterwards local manager of the Shipping Company, serving from 1872 to 1886; and his successor, Mr. C. V. Houghton, who retired last year, after having managed the Auckland branch for over 36 years.