UNION STEAM SHIP CO.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18991, 16 April 1936, Page 4

UNION STEAM SHIP CO.

SAN PRANOISCO SERVICE FIRST TRIP IN ISBS The discontinuing of the Union Steam Ship Company's San Francisco service, which is announced to become effective towards the end of this year, will terminate a service inaugurated by the company over 40 years ago. • The contract for the carriage of the English mails via San Francisco was first carried out by the Union Company in conjunction with the Oceanic Steamship Company in 1885. The Union Company's largest and best appointed ship, the Mararoa, a vessel of 2598 tons, which had just arrived from the builders' yards, was dispatched on the first trip from the New Zealand end. For many years the service was maintained with great regularity. In 1890 the. Monowai, 3433 tons, made her maiden voyage to Mew Zealand and on arrival entered the San Francisco service in place of the Oceanic Company's Zealandia. The company's connection with that service ceased in 19C0, -when it was debarred from trading between the Hawaiian Islands and San Francisco.

Following its withdrawal from the San Francisco mail service, the Union Company turned its attention in another direction, to the Canadian-Australian Line. In 1901 the company bought a share in the service,, which was being run by the New Zealand Shipping Company," and by subsequent purchases became sole proprietor of the line.

Under subsidy from the New Zealand Government, the company inaugurated a monthly service in 1909 between Wellington, R«irotonga and Tahiti, connecting at the lastmentioned island with the Oceanic Company's steamers to and from San Francisco. In the following year it was arranged that larger and faster steamers should be put on and the service continued right through to San Francisco, thus giving a monthly alternative mail to Great Britain. Later the itinerary was extended to include Sydney. For this service the company purchased in 1911 the Port Kingston, 7585 tons, which was renamed Tahiti and which was joined in 1925 by the Makura. When the Tahiti was lost a few years ago she was replaced by the purchase of the P. and O. liner Riazmak, 10,852 tons, which was renamed Monowai. The latter ship was afterwards transferred to the intercolonial service, her place in the San Francisco run being taken by the Maunganui, 7527 tons. The Makura was specially built foithe Vancouver service. She came out to New Zealand in 1908, about three years prior to the company's acquisition of the Maunganui. Of recent years the San Francisco run has been maintained chiefly by these two ships. They were both utilised during the. war as troopships.