Title: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Author: Cyclopedia Company Limited

Publication details: The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, 1897, Wellington

Part of: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

Share:

Curtis, James John : Office, corner Custom house Quay and Brandon Street; stables, store and yard, Tinakori Road. Wellington. Cable address, “Curtis, Wellington.” Code ABC; Telephone 9; P.O. Box 168. Bankers, National Bank of New Zealand London agents, Davies, Turner and Co., 52 Lime Street, E.C. Mr. Curtis is a native of the City of Wellington, his parents having reached Port Nicholson in the year 1840. He had to turn to work very early When a lad is thrown into the hard world at a tender age to fight life's battles, it will probably either kill him or make a man of him. The latter is exactly what happened. Instead of growing up a dependent youth clinging to his mother's apron strings, he became a manly independent young man, able to hold his own, and desirous of striking out on his own account. Thus it was good for Mr. Curtis that the necessity arose for working early in life, and to the lessons he then learned he owes much, and is ever ready to acknowledge the obligation. He has always worked hard and bent his best energies succeed in whatever he undertook, and it is no wonder that his has been a success. He founded the present extensive business in the year 1870, starting in a small way only. By careful and close attention to the littles, he soon found that he was on the right track. This discovery caused him to be more assiduous, if anything, and thus he held the position he had gained instead of relaxing his efforts when success appeared in his grasp. The business has steadily extended and developed year by year till the present time. Mr. Curtis undertakes general carrying of every description, and has every kind of vehicle for transferring both heavy and light goods from any part of the city and suburbs. He has special vans for use in removing furniture and household effects. He undetakes not only to carry in and around the city, but has complete arrangements for shipping to any part of New Zealand, as well as to any port in the civilised world. The ramifications of his business are so extensive that he has responsible agents in all towns in the Colony, and also at nearly every railway station in both Islands. It will thus be seen that Mr. Curtis is able to clear goods at any port, and transfer the same to any other part as required. In addition to the business of general carrier and forwarding agent, customhouse and shipping agent, he also undertakes commission agencies of every description. His lengthly experience are always available for his customers, no matter whether they are near or far off. Some years ago, finding his business increasing very much, he concluded that it was necessary to have more accommodation for his men and plant. He therefore purchased the present site of about three-quarters of an acre in extent in Tinakori Road. Here he has plenty of room for thirty horses, which are almost daily in full demand. Besides these, Mr. Curtis has a good many animals having a spell, from which he draws when required for active service, or to relieve others. The stock of vehicles includes eight lorries, two large furniture vans, three block drays, two small and six spring drays, three expresses, and two parce vans—in all over twenty-five in number. The expense which was necessary to keep the whole in good and safe working order he found amounted to something like £400 per annum. Believing that he could undertake to do the wheelwright and repairing work at his own yards, he erected a wheelwright's shop. Here he has since been successful, not only in completing all needful repairs, but several new vehicles have been turned out for his own use. He has also erected a blacksmith's shop at his yards, where his own horses are shod when required, thus effecting a saving of time as well as expense. In fact, his enterprise in establishing these two lines purely for the requirements of his trade has proved to be a most profitable investment of capital. At the yards Mr. Curtis has erected a cottage for the caretaker, and he has several houses for the convenience of his men, of whom he employs from twenty to twenty-five. His wages sheet absorbs over £65 per week in ordinary times, and much more when special work is on hand. He imports all the feed oats, chaff, and bran consumed at his stables direct from the southern markets. He is the proprietor of the Wellington Parcel Delivery Company, which delivers [gap — reason: illegible]all parcels at eleven, two, and five o'clock daily, in all parts of the city and suburbs, at a cheap rate It is usual for men who have had large families to complain that they have been kept down in consequence. Not so with Mr. Curtis, who declares that each addition to the family seemed but the signal for increased success in business. His sons have been most helpful in managing page 755 and conducting his large establishment. At the present time one of his sons, Mr. William Leonard Curtis, takes a general oversight of the business; and another, Mr. Arthur John Curtis, is customs and shipping clerk. In local politics, Mr. Curtis has long declined when requisitioned to take any part, as his business required all his care and attention. Now, however, that his sons are able to relieve him, and the necessity for so much hard and persevering toil does not exist, it is to be hoped that he will, at no distant date, bring his practical common sense to bear in civic matters, for the benefit of his fellow citizens.