WELLINGTON THE PORT of CALL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIV, Issue 2987, 30 April 1870, Page 2

WELLINGTON THE PORT of CALL.

Statement showing the Claims of Wellington to bo made the Now Zealand Port of Call for a Mail Line of Steamers between San Francisco and Australia. Prepared and published by a Committee appointed at a meeting of persons engaged in business in Wellington. Committee — W. B. Rhodes, Esq, Chairman, Hon. C. J. Pharazyn, Messrs W. M. Bannatyne, George Hunter, E. J. Wakefield, E. T. Gillon. The colony of New Zealand consists practically of two islands — the northern one comprising an area of about 44,000 square miles, the southern one an area of about 55,000 square mile 9. The length of the two islands respectively is almost the same— about 500 miles. The North Island comprises the provinces of Auckland, Taranaki, Hawko's Bay, and Wellington. The South Island comprises the provinces of Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Ofcago, Southland, and the county of Westland. The ports of Wanganui (Wellington), Taranaki, and Manukau (Auckland), are situated on the west coast of the North Island. In the South Island the ports of Nelson and Pioton are situated at the northern end of tho island, in Cook's Straits, while Greymouth, and Hokitika, are upon the west coast ; Lyttelton, Port Chalmers, and the Bluff being upon the east coast. Wellington being situated at the southern end of the North Island, at the eastern entrance of Cook's Straits, occupies a position which enables it to command, with equal facility, the trade of both coasts of each island. Cook's Straits, in a commercial sense, rather unites than separates the two islands, as it furnishes a safe and convenient highway between tho ports on each side of the islands — a highway which, moreover, lies in the directlino between Australiaand America, enabling steamers connecting the two continents to touch at a central New Zealand port without being obliged to make any coastal detour. Vessels may safely approach and pass through the straits in all weathers and at all times. The navigation presents no hidden dangers — the entrance to Wellington harbor can be safely accomplished at all times ; and the system of coastal lights is now so complete as to render the navigation by night as safe as by day. Vessels approaching from the ea9t have, on making land, Cape Campbell light (visible 17 miles) on the one side of the straits, and Pencarrow light (visible 30 miles) at the eastern entrance of Wellington harbor, on the other side. Vessels from the west have, first of all, Cape Farewell light (visible 17 miles), at the western entrance of the straits, then Mana light (visible 29 miles), and then Pencarrow light at the entrance to tho harbor. This entrance is singularly simple and safe, and vessels making it have, after passing Pencarrow, the light J on Soames' Island (viaiblo five miles outside of Pencarrow Head), and then the light on the end of the wharf, to guide them in making the anchorage or wharf. The main channel is £of a mile wide at the narrowest point, with a depth of water ranging from seven to ten fathoms, and is free from all hidden dangers. The harbor of Port Nicholson is a noble sheet of water, covering an area of about 25 square miles, completely land-locked, and affording good anchorage in every part, the depth ranging from fifteen fathoms downwards. The absence of all tidal currents renders the harbor a peculiarly safe one. Tho town of Wellington is situated on the shore of Lambton Harbor, the southwestern bay or arm of Port Nicholson. Vessels of the largest tonnage can lie here safely within easy distance of the town and in the immediate vicinity of the custom-house, post, and telegraph offices, and tho business portion of the town ; a commodious and excellent wharf has been erected, running out, about 600 feet, into such deep water as to give a depth of 25 feet alongside the outer end at low water of spring tides. Tho prevailing winds are from north to N.W. for about nine months, and from S.S.E. the remainder of thoyear. Asthewindnever blows with any force from any but the two quarters named, vessels at tho wharf are always in perfectly smooth water. Great facilities for rapid despatch of business are thus afforded, as very large vessels can load rind discharge alongside. A plentiful supply of good water is laid on to the end of the wharf. Geographically, Wellington is the central port of New Zealand, and it is submitted that the foots mentioned herein show that it possesses rare qualifications for being made the central depot of the trade and commerce of tho colony. As a postal centre it offers unrivalled facilities for tho rapid and equitable distribution and collection of mails to and from the other parts of tho colony. The settlements to the north and south of Wellington have alroady been enumerated, and the following comparative returns, collated from official BOurcea, will afford conclusive proof of Wellington's peculiar fitness to be deemed the oommeroial as well as geographical centra of the colony, and by being made the port of call, become the convenient focus of the colony's commerce with Amerioa. In the North Island the provinoo of Auckland comprises an area of about 17,000,000 acres, with a population, in December 1867 (the date of last census), of 48,321. Taranaki, about 250,000 acres ; population, 4359. Hawke's Bay, about 3,000,000 acres j population, 5283. Wellington, about 7,000,000 aoees ; population, 21,950 In the South Island, the province of Nelson has about 7,000,000 acres; population, 23,814. Marlborough, about 2,500,000 aorea ; population,

4371. Canterbury, about 8,500,000 acres ; popu- ' lation 38,448. Westland, about 300,000 acres j population, 15,418. Otago, about 14,000,000 ; population, 48,577. Southland, about 300,000 acres; population, 7943 Thus the population to the northward of Wellington (inclusive of itself) was 79,913, or 36-50 per cent, of the total population of the colony ; that to the southward 138,571 or 6342 per cent. These figures do not include natives, bat as the great mass of the native population resides in the North Island, the total population north and south of Wellington is really much more equally balanced : than is shown by these figures. The increase in population during 1868 was estimated (by taking excess of births over deaths, and immigration over emigration) as being 3.46 per cent, on the population of the colony. Last year it would probably be about the same, but the sudden rise in the importance of the Auckland gold fields, by attracting a large number of the floating population of the Southern Island, would render Wellington even more favorably situated" as regards being the centre of the ' population of the colony. The comparison of the trade and com*, merco to the north and Bouth will show that its claims to the position of a convenient commercial centre are well founded. In 1867 the tonnage of vessels (exclusive of coasting vessels), entering the North Island ports was 92,773 tons, while tonnage to the extent of 183,774 tons entered the South Island ports. And in the year 1869, the value of imports into the North . Island was £2,232,883, into the South Island £2,926,307; the valueofexportsbeingNorth Island £986,971, South Island £3,791,555. Its claims to be made the pork of call on account of being the most convenient commercial centre are rendered absolutely indefeasible by the fact that all the South Island ports are not only out of the direct line of commuuication between Australia and San Francisco, but that they present natural defeotß, rendering them unsuitable for the safe entrance and quick despatch of large ocean steamers. Auckland, almost at the extreme end of the North Island, is the only port in the colony which can enter into competition with Welling *m in these respects, and in many essential and important particulars it is very inferior. As a postal centre, Wellington offers unrivalled facilities for the rapid collection and distribution of mails. The number of letters received by the Middle Island from places beyond the colony was during 1868, 363,412, of whioh 71,350 were for the West Coast. During the same period the North Island received 169,224, of which 63,392 were from the West Coast. The South Island sent to places beyond the colony 341,817 letters, of which 68,557 were from the West Coast j the North 'Island 164,628, of which 5177 were from the West Coast. From Wellington to the several ports of the colony the distance is as follows : Northwards, on the East Coast— To Napier, 200 miles ; Napier to Auckland, 350 miles. West Const, to Ficton (South Island), 52 miles ; Ficton to Nelson, 87 miles ; Nelson to Taranaki, 145 miles; Taranaki to Manukau, 130 miles. Southwards — West Coast — Nelson to Greymouth 220 miles j Greymouth to Hokitika, 25 miles. East Coast — Wellington to Lyttelton, 170 miles ; Lyttelton to Port Chalmers, 200 miles ; Port Chalmers to Bluff, 130 miles. From no other port in the colony can the mails be so rapidly and equitably distributed or collected, and this fact is so patent, and the commercial importance of the port on account of its central position co well recognised, that it is, and has for many years past been the head- quarters of interprovincial steam communication. There are now two local steam companies in existence, whose vessels keep up rapid and constant communication with each of the coasts of the two Islands. Wellington is also the place of call of an important intercolonial weekly line of steamers from Melbourne round the Middle Island and back, alternately by each coast. The means for the expeditious collection and distribution of the mails supply also a quick and economical mode of collecting and distributing both passengers and cargo for and from Ocean steamers. Favorably situated as Wellington is in regard to communication by sea with the rest of the colony, it also occupies a most convenient position in regard to internal communication. The resources of the colony are very large, and it is capable of supporting a large and thriving population, but it requires to have its resources developed and its country opened up. Being brought into more intimate relations with America will doubtless tend towards the attainment of both these objects, and it is hoped that the day is not far distant when railways will be projected and formed throughout the interior of both Islands. No very great engineering difficulties rear themselves in the way of a railway from Riverton, at one extremity of the South Island, to the shores of Cook's Straits, or from Wellington to Auckland in the North Island, while such lines would open up, for settlement, an immense extent of rich and valuable country. When these lines are constructed, Wellington, situated at the southern extremity of the North Island trunk line, within a few hours steaming of the northern terminus of the South Island trunk line, will command the inland, as it now commands the coastal, traffic of the colony to a greater extent than any other town. The extensive and rich goldfields which are known to exist in the Middle Island and in Auckland, and whioh it is believed will yet be traced throughout the North Island afford a powerful argument in favor of any line of mail steamers from Melbourne to America, touching at a central New Zealand port. Last year, the quantity of gold exported from the South Island was 481,827 oz., of the value of £1,927,308, and from the North Island 132,454 oz., of the .value of £435,687. In a short time a branch of the Boyal Mint will be established at Melbourne, and the task of coining gold for the whole British empire will then be delegated to that establishment. This faot alone will show the importance of Melboarne being brought into direct communication with America and into almost direot communication with China and Japan. A large trade in gold will no doubt arise from such communication, and by a central New Zealand port being touched at, this colony will be enabled to participate in, and derive the fullest advantages from, that trade. In regard to facilities of telegraphio communication, Wellington must always enjoy an exceptionally favorable position as being the central point for the lines stretching north, south, and west, thus affording great facilities for the rapid diffusion of news, and lessoning the risk of communication being accidentally interrupted with any considerable portion of the colony. Telegraphio communication between Auckland and the rest of the colony has not yet been established. It may be some years before it is ; but the telegraphio advantages of Wellington as the portof call will then be increased rather than diminished, as it will be enabled to send at the same time by separate lines from one end of the colony to the other, from one side to the other. Wellington, however, is not only the geographi- ! col centre of New Zealand, and possessed of singular facilities for becoming the commercial and postul centre, but it is the political centcjp* and the capital of the colony. The head-quarters of the General Government of New Zealand are fixed in it. The Colonial Parliament meets in it annually, and as soon as the dwelling house, now being erected, is completed it will be the aotual, as it already is supposed to be, the official residence of his Excellency the Governor. The advantages of the seat of Government being plaoed in the earliest and latest possible communication with Europe are too apparent to need exposition, while the desirability of any ocean line of steamers from Australia to America—the channel by -which many important official communications "will be sent— the route by which many^ gentlemen on important political missions will necessarily travel— touching at the political, metropolis of this colony, must be self-evident. The faot of Wellington being the seat of Government is then of itself a powerful argument in favor of the port of call being fixed there, but the manner in whioh Wellington attained the position, and the oauseß whioh influenced the uoleotion, tend to

confirm the reality and practical bearing of the ai-guments founded on its central position, and which have alroady been advanced. From the recognition of New Zealand as a British colony, in the year 1840, until tho year 1863, the seat of Government was in Auckland. In the latter year both Houses of the Colonial Parliament expressed by resolution " their strong conviction that the time had arrived when it had become imperatively necessary for tho good government of the whole colony, and for the maintenance of its unity, that the permanent position of the seat of Government should be settled; and that the just claims and varied necessities of all parts of the colony required that the seat of Government should bo placed in a ■central position, that is to say, somewhere on the shores of Cooks Straits." The selection of tho actual site was left to commissioners named by the Governors of Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. The Hon. Sir F. Murphy, Bpeaker of the Legislative Assembly, Victoria 3 the Hon. J. Docker, M.L.C., New South Wales ; and R. G. G-unn, Esq., Tasmania, were accordingly selected, and those gentlemen after a long and most careful personal investigation reported that they had, in order to guarantee a full enquiry and an impartial decision founded solely upon a consideration of the advantages which the different sites presented for the administration of the Government of tho whole colony, laid down certain principles of enquiry which had been rigidly applied to the examination of each site submitted to investigation. This principle comprised enquiry into the following amongst other points : — lsfc. The central position of the site ; its accessibility, either by land or sea, from the adjoining provinces, from the various British settlements of the Southern hemisphere, and from Europe and America, and also the existing and projected means of communication. 2nd. The ■water capabilities, comprising the character of the harbor, the approaches, depth of water, nature of anchorage ground, protection from prevailing winds, rise and fall of tides, currents, their direction and velocity, dangers hidden or visible. 3rd. Land capabilities. 4th. Resources ■of surrounding country. sth. Capability of defence. 6th. Natural disadvantages. The unanimous decision arrived at by the commissioners was, that of all the sites included in their enquiry Wellington presented the greatest advantages for the administration of the Government of the colony. Acting on this decision the seat of Government was removed from Auckland to Wellington in 1864-5. It is submitted that the reasons which induced the Parliament of the colony to ■consider that " the just claims and varied necessities of all parts of the colony" demanded the removal of tho seat of Government from one extremity of the colony to its centre, which in■duced an impartial commission to select Wellington, and justified Parliament in expending a large sum of money to carry out tho recommendation, apply with almost equal force to the question of which is the most suitable port in New Zealand for the port of call of a mail line from Australia to England, via America. The benefit which the colony of New Zealand will expect ia return for subsidising a line of steamers to call at one of its ports, will be the rapid and safe conveyance of its mails, and the advantages likely to accrue from tho formation of intimate commercial relations between the colony and America. The advantages the owners of the steamers will look for in calling at New Zealand ■will be the cordial support of the colony (best evidenced by the amount of subsidy its representations may be inolined to grant), and the securing the largest possible amount of the passenger and goods trade between New Zealand, America, and Europe. Both colony and owners must benefit more from a central position being made tho port of call than from one being chosen at the extremity of the North Island, practically five or six days journey from JDunedin, the most important commercial town in the South Island, if not in the colony, and the outlet of the largest gold producing and most populous province. Even should it be found that calling at Wellington involved a few hours more steaming between Australia and America than calling at a more northern port, the increased trade which would ensue from the line being made practically available by the large mining, pastoral, and agricultural communities of the South Island would of itself more than compensate. It does not however appear that any extra length of journey need be involved by Wellington being the made the port of call, even for a line via Honolulu. If Melbourne, the central port of the Australian colonies, as Wellington is of New Zealand, be chosen as the terminus of the ocean line, the distance from it to Auckland is 1698 miles as against 1460 to Wellington, while the distance from Wellington to Honolulu bytheroute which ocean steamers would necessarily followis not above 100 milesmore than the distance from Auckland. Even with Sydney as the terminus, Wellington is only placed at a disadvantage, as compared with Auckland, of 15 miles, the distance being Sydney to Auckland, 1315 nailes ; Sydney to Wellington, 1230 ; extra distance to Honolulu, say 100 miles — 1330 miles. The difference is so slight whether as regards Sydney or Melbourne as to be little or no practical consideration in a matter of this kind. A line from Australia to San Francisco via Tahiti would render Wellington much the moat direct port at which to touch in New Zealand, and such a line might be subsidised by the French Government, but as there is already a line of steamers running between Honolulu and San Francisco, and as a second one wil soon be established, it is, of course, highly desirable that the Australian line should, connect with them, although a great circle line from Sydney to San Francisco would pass to tho south of the Sandwich Islands and to the north of Tahiti. Actual distances as shown on the globe, however, do not furnish a fair criterion of the length of a sea route, as so much depends on the prevailing •winds and currents. A reference to the official memorandum by Mr Woods, the Colonial Marine Surveyor, and to a letter from an officer of high atandin on board H:M.S. Challenger, attached to this statement, will show that in this respect a route via Cook's Straits is superior to one touching at a more northern part of the colony. In conclusion, it may be pointed out that the port of Wellington offers great natural advantages for the construction of a patent slip or dock, that the whole of the necessary material for a patent slip capable of lifting a vessel of 2000 tons is now on the Bite where it is proposed to be erected, and that it is believed the presence of the Superintendent: of the province, in England, will resalt in arrangements being made for the immediate erection of the slip, or the construction of a largo floating dock, should it be deemed more desirable. Already Wellington possesses a number of skilled workmen, capable of undertaking the repairs of ships, and executing tho work in a highly satisfactory manner. There are also foundries able to produce any castings required for such repairs. The recent raising of the s.s. Taranaki, 500 tons, after more than a year's submersion in 17 fathoms of water, and her complete renovation and refit may be quoted aßan example of the capabilities of the Wellington tradesmen in this respect. Tho facts herein enumerated show conclusively that while Wellington, as tho port of cull, will enable tho major portion of the inhabitants of tho colony to derive the greatest possible advantages from tho proposed mail line, the owners of the steamers will be enabled to secure a much greater amount of passenger and goods traffic than could be obtained by calling at any more northern port.