The Cattle And Coal Boats.

Many an important bit of news was brought to Auckland by the "white wings" of the Circular Saw line, but as they were the regular traders they generally brought complete files of the Australian newspapers for the Auckland daily newspapers. It was the unexpected arrivals that used to lead to the "scoops." There were for instance the boats that came from Australian ports,page 9 such as Newcastle, Gippsland, Gladstone, Port Curtis, Two Fold Bay, Port Albert, and others, with fat cattle, coal and produce for the young colony of New Zealand, which was not of course so self-supporting as it is to-day. Perhaps only one newspaper, and perhaps only half a newspaper, would be found on board these craft by the enterprising shipping reporter, so that naturally the keen man used to watch these stray arrivals with double vigilance. Five o'clock in the morning, during the summer months, would find me aboard such an unexpected boat making a search for anything in the shape of a newspaper. There was always the chance of a choice column or two of cable or important Australian news for the Auckland reporter who first got his hands on the journal.

The Kate Waters, Island City, and other barques made regular trips from Australia, and they were especially fitted up for the carrying of fat cattle. The steward of the Island City, having on previous occasions observed the keenness of the reporters for newspapers, took advantage of this knowledge. On one trip, when the vessel anchored off the Tamaki river, where the cattle were generally landed, I was on board about six in the morning. Not a scrap of any newspaper was available, either from the captain, mate or crew, and I was about to leave the vessel when the steward came to the side of the ship and stated he had a copy of the "Sydney Morning Herald" containing important English and Australian news for which he wanted payment. I immediately offered him a shilling, but this was indignantly refused. The steward all the time had his eye up the harbour to see if other reporters were coming down. There were two, and before they reached the side of the ship my offer for the paper had risen to 5/-. The steward would not "part," and when the other reporters arrived on the scene the paper was put up to auction and was eventually handed to me for 10/6. When I opened the paper and found it had over a page containing the summary of a month's news from England, which had been telegraphed from Albany to Sydney; also important Australian news, I was well satisfied with my bargain; but when I told my employer, Mr. W. C. Wilson, of the "Herald," the money I had paid for the paper, he did not appear over pleased, but on the following day, after being congratulated upon the "scoop" by several merchants, he with a smile, said the paper was cheap and I had done well in securing it.

The cargo of these boats—fat cattle—gives us an admirable picture of early Auckland, which to-day ships its thousands of carcases of frozen meat to the London market. Although these sailing craft were specially fitted up to carry cattle, the loss when bad weather was encountered in the Tasman Sea was very severe, the vessel arriving occasionally with only one-third to one-half the number of cattle shipped. Other barques brought coal from Newcastle and wheat from Adelaide. The wheat was ground at Firth's and Partington's mills, the former being a steam-mill on the Queen Street site now occupied by Smeeton's, and the latter a windmill, which oddly enough, has survived all the innovations of this busy age, and its whirling sails are still one of the landmarks of the city.