The Westminster.

The Westminster, one of Young and Co.'s line of ships, was a real clipper compared with many other vessels despatched from England to New Zealand in the early days. She was a vessel of 731 tons, commanded by Captain Westgarth, and visited Wellington, Lyttelton, and Nelson. She was a new ship on her maiden voyage when she sailed from London on the 7th January with 132 passengers, and she arrived at Wellington on the 16th April, 1856, after a pleasant passage of 97 days. After discharging the ship sailed for Lyttelton, arriving at that port on the 17th June.

In 1858 the Westminster made a fast run to Lyttelton, arriving there after a remarkably fine passage on the 9th January, being only 88 days port to port. The passengers spoke highly of the comforts provided on the ship. Among the 110 souls on board were the Rev. James and Mrs. Andrews, Mr. and Mrs. Gould, Messrs. Moorhouse, Bonner, Wincop, Burton, Mrs. Biggs and family, and others whose names are still honoured in Christchurch. After discharging passengers and cargo, the ship sailed for Wellington and Nelson, arriving at the latter port on the 6th March, 1858.

Another ship bearing the same name arrived at the Bay of Islands with passengers as early as March 17th, 1840. She came over from Sydney. At that time, just after New Zealand had been declared a British colony, all eyes were turned here, and a number of people who had come out to Australia from the Old Country, moved across the Tasman Sea. This Westminster arrived at Auckland on the 1st April, 1842, with passengers, among whom were Mr. Henry White, who passed away at the end of May, 1926, after living 84 years in Auckland. Mr. and Mrs. Rose were also passengers by this ship, and one of their daughters, Mrs. Ernest Hill, came out with her parents, and is now residing with her son at Mount Roskill, in good health at the age of 93 years.