EARLY SHIPPING DAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17015, 13 April 1923, Page 11

EARLY SHIPPING DAYS.

VOYAGES FROM THE OLD 1 COUNTRY. TALES OF THE EMIGRANT SHIPS. The romance and some of the hardships of the early shipping days of New Zealand are recalled in the series of articles, now being j published by the “ Star ” relating i to the. early shipping days. Many people are interested in the j subject, as there are still many old identities with us, while thousands i of citizens of the Dominion are I descended from the old stock which i braved the voyages in the sailers; of ! tfie 'fifties, ’sixties and 'seventies. The article printed to-day consists of extracts from the early files. A SERIOUS COMPLAINT. FROM TIIE ‘LYTTELTON TIMES,” JULY 23, 1*53. We are obliged to call the attention of the authorities to the fact that vessels are permitted to clear out for a port to which they have not any intention of proceeding, while it is weii known to many that the/- whole cargo and passengers are intended for another. Loud as has been the outcry and great the talk in public meetings and private life about the necessity of an established line of steam on our j coasts, by the tacit concent of the authorities the few and far between j visits of the traders are rendered useless to a whole community—to serve ( the interests of one while' many • among us are'actually sufferers from • the loss of the Mahomed Shah and j more, than commonly anxious for j advices. We are gratuitously insulted, i and every feeling is outraged by 1 secondary information that three Euro- I pean and many colonial mails are reposing in the Post Office at Welling- j ton. because the Necromancer chose to ! clear out for Otago. .Against such ! proceedings we may shortly have j power to protect ourselves and those amongst us who shall be called to sit in our representative chambers will doubtless consider this (in common j with some other abuses) worthy of > being looked into and rectified. Our j latest advices from Wellington and 1 other parts were received on the 26th i ult., and at a time, when the necessity | of earnest co-operation and advice are i most called for we are still left to hope and wait, it may be for another month, before we receive intelligence of any sort. In concluding these strictures we would recommend a memorial to be drawn up and signed by all, addressed to the Collector of Customs in Wellington. SHIPPING SIGNALS. FROM THE “ LYTTELTON TIMES,” JULY 30, 1853. A very handsome subscription has been raised during the week to supply Major Hornbrook with a telescope, flagstaff, and suitable set of flags for the signal station on Mount Pleasant. The community have long been indebted to the gallant major for his disinterested services in telegraphing all vessels visible from the station—a task most faithfully performed. It has long been felt that more suitable apparatus was needed, and it for this purpose a subscription has been raised. It is intended to erect a larger flagstaff, provided with flags of sufficient size to be recognised at Christchurch and to be so arranged as to telegraph whether the | vessels are coming from the north or I south. The affair was suggested and promptly carried out by a gentleman who is about to leave the settlement, to return, we hope, at no distant date. NOTES AND NEWS. FROM TI-IE “ LYTTELTON TIMES,” AUGUST 13, 1853. The Penyard Park, from Sydney, brought English news to .April 16, but of slight interest. On April 7 Her Majesty gave birth to a son, and at the latest date both were well. We learn that later news reached Sydney the day the Penyard Park left, but no particulars were learnt. The Penyard Park was 20 days in coming down, and lost between 500 and 600 sheep. She sighted New Zealand seven days after leaving Sydney, and met with baffling winds in Cook Strait. FROM THE ’* LYTTELTON TIMES,” AUGUST 27, 1553. The Cornwall and the Admiral Grenfell from England, and the Mountain Maid (Peacock), are in Wellington. Both the above vessels from England contain cargo for Nelson and this port, and it has been arranged by the commanders to transfer all the cargo for Nelson to the Admiral Grenfell, while the cargo for this port will be brought on by the Cromwall. This vessel left England on April 18, has has some 130 passengers amongst whom are 18 for this port. The slessrs Parkinson (2) and Miss Donald are amongst the num- j ber. The Admiral Grenfell left England on May 24, and beat the Cornwall out, arriving in Wellington one day before her. The Admiral has commenced her naval career well, being becalmed off the Molyneaux, south of Otago, on the 84th day. A party of her passengers landed for an hour, amongst whom was a Mr Weston, formerly of this settlement in its earliest days, who has arrived per the Shepherdess.