MODERN COASTAL FLEET

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30200, 3 August 1963, Page 8

MODERN COASTAL FLEET

Northern Steam Ship Company’s Growth

[BV

JOHN LESLIE]

South Islanders, particularly Lyttelton people, are becoming increasingly familiar with the trim, green-hulled motor vessels of the Northern Steam Ship Company’s modern fleet. Indeed, scarcely a day goes by when one of these traders is not in or near Lyttelton.

Formed on May 11, 1881, to take over the ships of the Auckland Steam Packet Company and its trade, the Northern Steam Ship Company, with an authorised capital of £150,000, had initially six directors. These were Captain McGregor who was formerly manager of the Auckland Steam Packet Company and Messrs. D. G. Cruickshank, J. McCosh Clark, J. McFarlane, T. Ball and T. Merrin. The former fleet consisted of the steamers Argyle McGregor, Rowena, Douglas, Staffa and lona. Through expansion, the steamers Wellington, Clansman, Gairloch Glenelg were added. The first six years were discouraging but in 1887, an accountant, Charles Ranson, was appointed manager when the company was considering winding up its affairs. From then on, the Northern Steam Ship Company, made considerable progress? In 1900 several smart passenger vessels were built to the company’s order in Scotland. These u'ere the Ngaphui, Rarawa. Ngateawa, Aupouri and the first Apanui. Trading now embraced all east coast ports from East Cape—north to Parengarenga, and from Wanganui and New Plymouth up to Onehunga and Hokianga on the west coast At that period the company had not established any south island trade. It is a different story today. Vital Sea Link The quikest connexion beween Auckland and Wellington in those days was by sea from Onehunga to New Plymouth, then by rail to Wellington. This vital sea link was provided by the Union Steam Ship Company and the Northern Steam Ship Company. Auckland’s older citizens may recall the excitement of Sunday departures by passenger steamers from Onehunga. A popular outing was for people to travel by the 2.10 p.m. boat train to Onehunga to see the steamer Bail, followed by a return journey to the city by double-decked tram. Through Mr Ranson’s far•eeing and progressive policies the roadless north was rapidly opened up. Ports such as Raglan. Kati Kati, Maketu and Caanan Landing in Te Puke, were developed. New passenger and cargo services were pioneered in many out of the way places. In addition. the company erected wharves and cargo sheds at ports not under harbour board or local body control. By 1921 when Mr Ranson retired the Northern Company’s fleet consisted of 40 vessels. Famous names among these are the Clansman, Wakatere, Terranora, Waiotahi, Taniw’ha. Waimarie, Muri tai, lona. Kaniere. RotoWaitangi, Chelmsford, Ohinemuri, Coromandel, Paeroe, Nunguru, Katikati and Fingal. Veterans Withdrawn The development of road transport of the next 10 years and the establishment of a rail link between Auckland and the Bay of Plenty, caused the company’s passenger services to dwindle rapidly, for they became uneconomic. By 1930. in fact, many familiar veterans were withdrawn, among them, the Rarawa. Matangi, Ngaphui, Rimu, Clansman. Wakatere, Ngatiawa, Aupouri, Apanui 1, and Claymore. Thriving passenger trade which disappeared were the OnehungaNew Plymouth service, and all the services from Auckland to Awairui, Mangonui, Russell, Tauranga, Thames, Whakatane. Opotiki, Maketu Matata. Kuaotunu, Mercury Bay, Tairua, Whangamata. Great Barrier, Wangaruru. Whananaki, and Whangopoua. During the Second World War, the Northern Company played its part in coastal transportation. Two vessels, the Ronaki and Tuhoe, were taken over by the American War Administration and operated in the war zone. Normal operations were hampered during this period by the fleets depletion. Additional tonnage was acquired in 1948. coincident with Captain A. G. Hardy taking over the company’s management A new. smart and efficient coastal fleet was now being created to expand new trades. This expansion resulted in the purchase of the 296 ton. German-built, motor vessel Goldflnder from British owners. She was renamed Apanui. In the following year, 1949. the 539 ton, Swedish motor

vessel, Vestria was purcnaseu and renamed Tainui. In 1950, a similar vessel to the Vestria, named Fenja was purchased and re-named Hotunui, Then in 1952 the 515 ton, Canadian-built Arrenak was obtained in Great Britain and renamed Ratanut South Island Trade Simultaneously with the rapid development of Auckland’s newer industrial districts, Penrose and Roskill, the Northern Company’s services from Onehunga increased and accelerated the export of manufactured goods to the South Island. The lean years experienced by the company between 1946 to 1951 have long been recompensed, and enterprise has put this shipping company on a sound financial basis.

Increasing demands for coastal tonnage prompted the Northern Company to launch a concentrated building campaign from 1953 onwards until the present day. First came the Dutch-built Maranui. followed by the Maunganui from the same shipyard in 1955. Again, a further order was placed with the same builders, Bodewes Shipyards Hoogezand, Holland, for the Poranui completed in 1956 —a vessel similar to the Maunganui. The Tawanui, built in the same shipyard in 1959, is a typical Northern Company vessel of today. She has an overall length of 209 fee;, a deadweight capacity of 1120 tons, and a gross tonnage of 891.

The company’s vessels all have their funnel, engines and accommodation aft. They are trim, compact, and noted for their ease in handling where time is money today. The fleet is designed for quick cargo handling with a fast turn round on service. This is specially applicable to the now strongly-en-trenched Onehunga-Lyttelton trade, pioneered by the Northern Company, which gives a regular service between New Zealand's two largest cities, Christchurch and Auckland. Refrigerated Space “Hie Northern Company’s vessels average a laden speed of 11 knots. The latest additions are the Moanui and Awanui, products of Hong Kong shipyards. These two vessels have ample refrigerated space. The Moanui, has four, 20-ton, deep refrigerated compartments, a boon to shippers of quick-frozen products. The Moanui, entered service in 1961. The Awanui appeared on the scene this year. Northern Company vessels have a similarity of design and to give the most eflflcient and swift service, the latest trends in shipbuilding are watched. Incidentally, the Moanui was the first New Zealand coastal vessel to be fitted with bipod masts. The Poranui, Tawanui, Moanui. Awanui, and Maunganui all have heavy lift derrick, capable of hoisting 10 tons. The impact of this company’s trading fleet upon the South Island has been tremendous since the war. This particularly applies in the case of the Onehunga-Lyttel-ton link which bridges the gap with a fast-handling cargo trade to the mutual benefit at Christchurch and Auckland. Trade Routes While the company's vessels are prepared to travel almost anywhere when cargo is available, the main trade routes are as follows: Auckland to and from Pic-ton, Lyttelton, Timaru. Oamaru, Dunedin, and Bluff. Onehunga to and from Wanganui, Picton, Lyttelton, Timaru, Dunedin and Bluff. Tauranga to and from Lyttelton, Dunedin, Timaru and Bluff. Whangarei to and from Lyttelton, Dunedin, Timaru and Bluff

Ohiwa to and from Lyttelton. Dunedin. Timaru and Bluff.

Recently the company’s services from the north were extended to Greymouth and Jackson's Bay. The basic schedule is of course always flexible, but it shows the strong penetration of what was a provincial company, entrenched in the north, into the South Island maritime trade. Today, a shipper can for instance, send Dunedin cargo direct to Raglan. Coastal freight may include anything from a needle to a prize stallion or pedigree bull.

It may range from buttons to bulldozers, in addition to the normal produce of both islands. Recently, the 914 ton motor vessel, Onehunga, a former Baltic and Mediterranean trader, which entered the coastal trade under the Northern Company's agency last year, carried the largest oven ever made in the South Island, from Lyttelton to Auckland. This 37 ton oven, manufactured by the Industrial Electric Heating Company of Christchurch, to the order of a Hamilton bakery, occupied 118 tons of measurement space aboard the Onehugna.

Masters And Managers

Masters of the Northern Company fleet are familiar figures in Lyttelton. Some time a vessel takes on the personality of its master, names such as Greensill, Leggatt, Brown, Berry, Craigie and Watkins and others, have a familiar ring about the Lyttelton waterfront. The Northern Company’s present executive staff are Captain A. G. Hardy (Managing Director), Messrs S. L Caspari (general traffic manager and assistant to the general manager), N. S. Falla (secretary), S. G. Bennett (accountant) and J. Flaherty (superintendent engineer). In a list of former chairmen appear such names as Messrs A. W. Anderson. M. A. Clark, C. Rhodes, J, H. Upton, J. Brown, H. A. Nathan, A. B. Robertson and Sir Ernest Davis, who in his lifetime was one of Auckland’s most colourful figures. The present board of directors consists of Mr E. H. Rhodes whose father was a former chairman and director for 30 years, Captain A G. Hardy, Messrs H. M. Rogerson who is the deputy chairman, A. R. Thompson and T. C. Webster.

Control of the company is exercised from the head office at Auckland. almost on the waterfront There are branches at Onehunga, Taunanga and Whangiareii besides agents throughout the country. Other activities are chartering and agency tasks undertaken by the company. One inportant general agency held is that of the Nitt'o Shosen Line whose vessels call at New Zealand ports regularly, catering for the Japanese-New Zealand trade. The Northern Steam Ship Company Ltd., plays a major part in the structure of New Zealand commerce. What is more, the vessels, amongst shiplovers and seamen generally, are considered to be second to none in New Zealand waters for appearance, cleanliness and capability.