EARLY SHIPPING DAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17012, 10 April 1923, Page 11

EARLY SHIPPING DAYS.

VOYAGES FROM THE OLD COUNTRY. TALES OF THE EMIGRANT SHIPS. The romance and some of the hardships of the early shaping days of New Zealand are recalled in the series of articles now being published by the “ Star ” relating to the early shipping days. Many people are interested in the subject, as there are still many old identities with us, while thousands of citizens of the Dominion are descended from the old stock which braved the voyages in the sailers cf the ’fifties, 'sixties and 'seventies. The article printed to-day consists of extracts from the early files. SHIPPING NEWS AND NOTES, FROM THE “ LYTTELTON TIMES,” j JANUARY 22. 1853. Infringement of the Passenger Act.James Toohig. master of the schooner Mimford, from. Wellington. New Zealand, was charged by the Emigration Officer at Williamstown, before George Harrison and C. Pasco, Esqs.. with a breach of the 15th Clause of the Passengers’ Act, in having twenty-three passengers placed in a compartment 12tt square and only 3ft Gin high. The Bench fined him £25 and costs.—Melbourne “ Argus.” FROM THE “ LYTTELTON TIMES,” JANUARY 29, 1853. We learn from a private letter of September 19 that the cabin berths of j the Minerva were all taken. We antici- • pate, therefore, that she would sail at ! her appointed time, the end of Septem- j ber, and may now be hourly expected. FROM THE “ LYTTELTON TIMES,” FEBRUARY 5, 1853. Arrived.—Feb. 2, barque Minerva, 830 tons. Johnston, from London and Plymouth. Passengers, chief cabin: Mr and Mrs Sewell, Mr E. P. Wakefield. Rev. John Raven and family. Miss Raven. Miss Burbidge. Mr Ellman. Mr and Mrs Deans. Mr and Mrs Smith, Miss Ford, Mr and Mrs Askam Brittin, Mr and Mrs John Brittin and family, Mr Rowley, Mr Pitt, Captain Fuller. Captain Henslow. R.N., Miss Dicken, Mr Penny, Mr Chamberlain. Mr Adams, Mrs Hope and family, Mr Alder (surgeon). Mr Rankin, Mr Sneyd. Second cabin: Mr and Mrs Cuff and five children, Miss Cuff. Miss A. Cuff. Mr and Mrs John Knowles and child. Mrs j Knowles, senr.. Miss Knowles. Mr and . Mrs Thompson and family. Mrs ReA-ell ; and family, Mr Docker. Mr Rudd, Mr Redmayne, Miss Reeves. Miss E. ! Reeves, Mr Graham, Mr and Mrs |

Scrutton, Miss Shelbrook. Miss Fletcher. Mrs Parsons and family, and forty-three in the steerage. The Minerva entered our harbour on Wednesday afternoon, after a fair, average passage from England. She left London on September 29, and Plymouth on October 12, and has had a very agreeable passage, fair weather prevailing, throughout. She brings a large number of cabin and intermediate passengers, mostly ah for this settlement. Mr Gibbon Wakefield is a passenger, and also Mr Sewell, both of whom are well known from their connection with the Canterbury Association. Two births and one death (an infant) occurred on the voyage. The chief portion of the cargo is for Wellington. The Minerva brings no news of any importance. Parliament had not met, and therefore political affairs were in a state of abeyance. The Duke of Wellington was yet unburied, and expectation was concentrated on the forthcoming public funeral. In France the President was continuing his quasi-royal progress, and was received everywhere with most fulsome homage, each city striving to outdo the other in extravagant, external demonstrations of welcome. Paris was preparing an ovation for his return, which is to outvie anything that has ever yet occurred. The Empire was looming (we quote a word very much in vogue now in England, it being connected with the forthcoming policy of the Derby Ministry, according to Mr Disraeli) in the future, and December 2 was named as the day when France is to be rendered supremely blest, and her future happiness and peace definitely fixed. We wonder who believes it!

The Tasmania, 500 tons, was chartered for the Canterbury Association, and appointed to sail for Otago and Lyttelton on October 14 from London. The Royal Albert, one of Messrs Willis’s ships, was to sail for Wellington direct on October 20. We learn also that a screw steamer was to leave England for New Zealand, sent out by the New Zealand Local Steam Co. to be employed in the service between the settlements. The vessel is called the Victoria, is built of iron, with a screw 'propeller, wrought by engines of 80 hp. The Victoria is 150 ft long, 23ft broad and 13ft deep, has a draught of water of 10ft, and a speed of 7 to 8 knots per hour. We gather these particulars from the “ Expositor,” a weekly journal of inventions, designs, etc.., which gives an engraving of the Victoria, a neat-looking craft with three masts and full rigged. The “ New Zealand Journal,” however, announces that the local Steam Co. has come to nought, and therefore the Victoria looms very indistinctly in the future. FROM THE “LYTTELTON TIMES,” FEBRUARY 26. 1853We learn from the Sydney “ Empire ” of January 4 that Mr Swinbourne had purchased at auction the brigantine Despatch, of 140 tons, well known in the New Zealand trade, under the command of Captain Peacock, for £895 cash. We understand that Mr Swinbourne disposed of the Pauline at Melbourne for £IOOO. We have received a communication from the passengers on board the Pauline, highly complimentary to is (former) “ spirited owner.” The Pauline, being disposed of, renders the remarks of her sea-going qualities now unnecessar}’, but the following paragraph respecting Mr Swinbourne we have much pleasure in publishing as a compliment well merited by a gentleman who has done so much to further the shipping interests of Lyttelton:—“Mr Swinbourne, being a fellow passenger, exerted himself to the utmost to render us in every way comfortable, provisions being most ample, and we were happy to see that the steerage passengers entertained a similar opinion with ourselves.”