RED AND BLACK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 261, 4 November 1933, Page 7 (Supplement)

RED AND BLACK.

THE UNION LINE. SWELLING THE FLEET. FIRST SEAMEN'S STRIKE. (No. V.) The outstanding feature of the early history of the Union Steam Ship Company, as shown in preceding articles, was its phenomenal growth. In the- first 10 years of its existence it increased its fleet from three to 32 vessels, and always the cry was for more ships.

' In 1887, two years after the first Union liner had raced across the Pacific to San Francisco with mails, the company, to keep in step with the rapid expansion of the West Coast coal trade, secured more tonnage by buying out the Westport Coal Company's fleet of three steamers. One of these, the Wareatea, was commanded at the time she changed her flag by the late Captain John Gibb, who in later years was to become the popular master of R.M.S. Niagara. The same year saw the arrival of three new vessels, the Wainui, built for Captain "Bully" Williams, the Kanieri, and the Pukaki. The Pukaki was brought to New Zealand by the late Captain A. Duder, of Devonport, whose death occurred only recently. Shortly after the arrival of the Pukaki (1800 tons) the company encountered some opposition in the grain trade and the new vessel was commissioned to win the fight for the red funnellers. There was consternation among Auckland importers when the Pukaki arrived with a full cargo at 7/6 per ton, the fear being openly expressed that the market would be glutted and that prices would be so disturbed that the importers might be ruined. Behind the Pukaki came the Rakanoa with 3000 tons, and still the grain trade grew with none losing any money in consequence. Still More Ships.

In 188S the coal carrying agreement with the Westport Coal Company was renewed, and a similar treaty was made with the Grey Valley Coal Company, under which, in 1889, the company took over the steamers Brunner and Oreti. Several other second-hand vessels were acquired by the company in the same year. ?he Monowai, with accommodation for 233 passengers, arrived in 1890. She was regarded as a palatial vessel and was the largest ship owned by the company up till that time. One wonders what those folk who heaped praise on the Monowai would have said could they but have beheld the swimming baths, gymnasia, electric lifts, post offices, newspaper plants, toilet salons, nurseries, hospitals, roof gardens and libraries of the huge liners of this age. Also in 1890 the Taviuni arrived to enter the Western Pacific trade. The late Mr. J. H. C. Bond, formerly Dominion superintendent of the New Zealand Shipping Company, was purser of the Taviuni for some time.

The latter end of 1890 saw the first seamen's strike of any size in New Zealand. Although it was short lived, the trouble caused much inconvenience. The response to the 'call for free labour was astonishing and many of 'the men who volunteered retained their positions when peace was again restored. Although the strike occurred in the days when unionism was nowhere near as strong as it is now the disgruntled seamen showed enough fight to charter the steamer Bellinger and run her between Auckland and Whangarei for some time. Company's Worst "Roller." The Poherua, generally regarded as the worst "roller" ever owned by the company, arrived in 1891. On her way to New Zealand she almost rolled her boiler out of its chocks and was compelled to put into Fremantle to have it refastened. An important event in the same year was the acquisition of the Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company's fleet of eight ships, as well as five hulks and other property, the purchase price being in the vicinity of £185,000. In the next two years came the Ovalau and the Upolu, both of which entered the Islands trade —a trade then flourishing, but to-day little more than a shadow. In 1894 the company experienced the greatest tragedy in its history, the Wairarapa, inward bound to Auckland from Sydney, being wrecked on Miners.' Head, Great Barrier Island, with the loss of 135 lives.

Several more second-hand vessels were acquired in 1896, in which year Mr. Mills went to England to order new vessels, and the Hawea, Moana, Waikare and Mokoia were built. In the same year the company purchased the Wanaka, whose long career did not end until she was towed to sea and scuttled outside the Great Barrier a few years ago. On its twenty-fifth birthday, in 190Q, the company owned 56 vessels, totalling nearly 78,000 tons, as follows: Maori, Kotorua, Wakatipu, Ringarooma, Rotomahana, Te Anau, Penguin, Mar.apouri, Southern Cross, Tarawera, Waihora, Hauroto, Waihi, Omapere, Takapuna, Herald, Mararoa, Mawhera, Orowaiti, Kawatiri, Wareatea, Wainui, Pukaki, Rosamond, Monowai, Taieri, Taviuni, Janet Nicoll, Rotokino, Ovalau, Poherua, Ooiiah, Taliine, Pateena, Flora, Corinna, Upolu, Rakanoa, Haupiri, Hawea, Wanaka, Moana, Waikare, Rotoiti, Kini, Kia Ora, Mapouriki, Mokoia, Koonya, Moura, Kittawa, Whangapc, Kotuku, Natonc, and Waipori. The Vancouver Service.

When, in 1901, the company was compelled to retire from the San Francisco service owing to the fact that Hawaii had been annexed io the United States, it bought into the Vancouver service, which in those days was run from Brisbane, via Fiji, with no call at Auckland. All passengers had to tranship at Suva. It was not until 1911 that the New Zealand Government gave the company a subsidy in order that the transPacific ships should call at Auckland. With the inauguration of the subsidised service the route was altered to SydneyAuckland -Suva-Honolulu-Vancouver and it has remained unchanged until the present clay. Additions to the company's fleet in the first five years of the present century were the Waipori, Warrimoo and Kamona (1901), Aparima and Moeraki (1902), Kakapo 11., Karori, and Manuka, (1903), Navua and Loongana (1904) and Kaituna, Wairuna, Arahura, Karitane, Tuatea and Maheno (1905). The Maheno was one of the company's flyers 30 years ago, and before entering the intercolonial passenger service she broke the Melbourne-Sydney record, averaging 17 knots. This record is a reminder that speed at sea has not made the same advances over the last quarter of a century as has size and comfort.

The most important of the nine new vessels added to the company's register in the next two years was the Marama, which came out in 1907, and is still a popular steamer in the Sydney service. Mention must also be made of the turbine steamer Maori which arrived in the same year to enter the WellingtonLyttelton ferry service, a service in which she is still used as a standby vessel. (To be continued.)