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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 6 (December 1, 1931)

Passengers in Sail

Passengers in Sail.

There has been some discussion as to the last voyages of passenger-carrying sailing ships from England to New Zealand. There was a time when everyone bound to this part of the world had to make the passage under sail, and so many a passenger in those long-voyage days was half a sailor by the time he landed, and the knowledge he gained at sea was often of much use to him in his after colonial life. This period lasted longer than most New Zealanders of to-day perhaps imagine. People were still coming out to the colony in leisurely sailing vessels long after railways had been pushed well on through the country.

Nature's Weird Architecture. (Photo, A. P. Godber.) The “Wineglass” Rock at Raglan, North Island, N.Z.

Nature's Weird Architecture.
(Photo, A. P. Godber.)
The “Wineglass” Rock at Raglan, North Island, N.Z.

A Day's Catch. Four salmon (average weight 22lbs.) caught in the Rakaia River, South Island, N.Z.

A Day's Catch.
Four salmon (average weight 22lbs.) caught in the Rakaia River, South Island, N.Z.

Although steamship lines began services from London to New Zealand in 1883, it was some years after that before immigration by the fine old clippers ceased. I think the last batches of passengers under sail came out in 1888–89. I remember going on board the “Zealandia” on her arrival in Auckland harbour at that period, with a party of saloon passengers from London, who praised the comfort and pleasure of their voyage. They published a little newspaper on the way out and got a lot of fun out of it. The “Zea-landia” (Captain Phillips) was a handsome iron ship under the Shaw Savill flag.

Then, about the same time some passengers came out to Auckland in that grand old three-skysail-yard ship the “Lady Jocelyn,” which had been “trooping” to the colony in the days of the Maori war. She was without exception the most beautiful ship I have ever seen, that graceful, lofty “Lady Jocelyn,” as she came in to the Waitemata on her last voyage to Auckland. A year later she made a splendid fast run from Lyttel-ton to London, the final flying effort of an ocean beauty all of the olden time.

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