New Zealand Shipping On - Line Comments
This page was
last updated on
Tuesday, 08 February 2011 10:43:41 PM
Welcome: Because of the amount of comments,
support and input from members of the public
having the total archive of comments on one page is now
impractical. We have now separated the comments
by year.
If this is your first visit to the site I
strongly recommend that you start from the beginning
(1999)
as there are some great stories and links.
|
Comments for the year
1999 |
Email / Date |
I was
searching for information regarding ships I had formerly served on,
when I came across this site. If you have some knowledge of the
following vessel's I would appreciate it. I served on the M/V Orari
for one voyage, and two voyages on the M/V Suffolk between April 1953
until July 1954. I believe that the 'Orari' was torpedoed twice in the
second world war. Orari tonnage was 6235.83 and the Suffolk tonnage
was 6565.59 Official number of the 'Orari' was 162906 and 'Suffolk's'
number was 167330. Hope this is of some use. From Gordon Rew. |
rew@gsat.edu.au
21.05.99 |
My
grandfather traveled on the Hororata in 1917 to England. He was in the
AIF 41st Battalion at the time. |
davinaw@optusnet.com.au
31.05.99 |
My wife's
great grandfather arrived in Hobart, Australia on the 3rd September
1888 aboard the Kaikoura and I found a great account of the voyage in
the Hobart Mercury dated 4th September 1888. I have a picture of this
ship but would love to find a picture of the IONIC, another New
Zealand Shipping Company vessel. |
kev180958@blaze.net.au
9.08.99 |
I believe my
grandmother emigrated on the Rimutaka to Wellington and then proceeded
on the same ship to Auckland in late 1912. Don't have any further
information. Would like to see photographs or drawings. The D.M.
Little collection at the State Library of Victoria, Australia, has
official paintings of ships from very early days - 1840s onwards I
believe. Many of these ships would have also gone to New Zealand. |
rjs@netconnect.com.au
11.8.99 |
I sailed as
an Engineer with New Zealand Shipping Company from 1956 to 1961. NZSC
was then part of the PandO Group. There are two interest groups, one
based in New Zealand and one in UK for people who have been associated
with NZSC. I can obtain contact details if anyone requires them. |
mealone@emirates.net.ae
17.8.99 |
The NZSCo
interest contact organisations are:
New Zealand Shipping Company Association Inc PO.Box 4061 Auckland 1
New Zealand..& the Durham Association Honorary Secretary |
Desjones@btinternet.com |
Editors footnote:
Lord Vestey who owned the Weddell supermarket chain in the UK, was the
owner of NZSC up until 1990.
Vestey used his substantial land holdings in Australia, NZ, Argentina
in conjunction with his meat companies to move his frozen meat
products to the UK.. In Australia his meat companies were C.Q.M.E in
Rockhampton and N.Q.M.E in Townsville and in NZ it was Westfield (
Auckland ) Tammona ( Hawkes Bay).
Vestey shipping portfolio at the time contained Blue Star & A.C.T.A
shipping line.
Unfortunately in the 1980's Vestey had moved into real estate
development and the high land values saw him borrow against these
heady property values. The stock market crash on October 14th 1988,
saw the Vestey group liquidate their land and meat works in Australia
( meat works now owned by Packer and his company Consolidated Meat
Holdings ) and NZ, ( now owned by A.F.F.C.O, Auckland Farmers Freezing
Co-operative ) it was in 1990 that the Vestey group sold NZ Line &
Blue Star to P&O, the only NZ Line vessel operating at time of sale
was the NZ Mariner, which travelled between Sydney, Melbourne,
Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton.
The name NZSC went through many incarnations with the late Prime
Minister of NZ Mr Norm Kirk who died in office (1967) the principle
driving force for creating a New Zealand owned shipping company (
Shipping Corporation of New Zealand later on it became New Zealand
Shipping Corporation or short for NZSC under Vestey ) Norm Kirk's plan
was to increase the value added component of NZ primary products " a
man a head of his time " as witnessed by the Japanese " Sogo Shosu "
concept of vertical integrated business and Vestey himself. There were
two vessels put in service, the first vessel was the Meadowbank, ( the
second vessel, the name escapes me ) some sources said they were
procured from Bank & Saville line whilst others have said the Bank
Line. ( we would be interested to know ) This government sponsored
idea was plagued with confrontationally disputes, mores the pity. It
was Vestey who brought the remnants of SCNZ and changed the name to
NZSC and then to NZ Line |
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The current
New Zealand Shipping Co was formed on 9th January 1988 to cement the
relationship between Australia and New Zealand under the C.E.R (
Closer Economic Relations ) agreement signed off by Prime Ministers
Muldoon ( NZ) & Frazer (Australia) to facilitate a door to door (Free
Into Store) shipping service. Brisbane was chosen as the base of
operations (or HUB) because of its last port status. Southern ports
were so often riddled with disputes that it made it unbearable for
overseas customers to buy from Australia. On the other hand Brisbane
offered hope to shippers and importers alike, when once a vessel
sailed Brisbane, overseas customers had a fixed arrival time to plan
their import clearances accordingly and therefore enhance Brisbane's
reputation as a regular supplier of goods and services. |
|
I note your
editor's footnote to my E Mail
you appear to be confusing NZ Shipping Corporation and NZ Shipping
Company.
NZ Shipping Company together with Federal Line was part of the PandO
Group which served NZ and occasionally Australia. They disappeared as
separate entities in the early 1970s when PandO put their logo on all
these vessels. I served as an Engineer Cadet with NZ Shipping Company
and my first interview was at the PandO offices in Leadenhall Street
London.
NZ Shipping Corporation was a separate organisation which had no
connection with the previous NZ Shipping Company. After the old NZSC
and Federal ships were painted in PandO colours and adorned with the
PandO logo, these ships were used in PandO services calling at the
Middle East.
I subsequently met some of the crews when these ships called at the
Gulf Ports. Many of them had spent their careers sailing between UK
and NZ and found it difficult to adjust to the totally different
environment of the Middle East. They missed NZ !
The Vestey family owned the Blue Star Line. They also owned the "Dewhurst
the Butchers" chain which was country wide in UK. Vesteys were not
connected to the original NZSC.
The Federal Line ships were named after English counties (Suffolk,
Norfolk, Durham, Sussex etc). The designs of the vessels were
identical to those of NZSC as were the hull colours. The only
difference was the house flag insignia on the funnel. The NZSC and
Federal Line operated complementary services between UK and NZ.
I hope you find this information useful.
Len Chapman
Editors Note:
Excellent Stuff anybody wishing to share please feel welcome to email |
mealone@emirates.net.ae |
I'd be
interested in any information (and perhaps a photo?) of the SS Remuera
- Built 1911 for the New Zealand Shipping Co. and torpedoed 26 August
1940 off Peterhead, Scotland.
Roger Mathison: Peterhead, Scotland |
roger@mathison.freeserve.co.uk
7.11.99 |
My
father-in-law Geoffrey Andrews was a crew member of the SS Stafford
between August 1949 and March 1950. He is currently making a 5 foot
fibre glass model of the Stafford and would like help to confirm his
memory of her colour scheme particularly the funnel. If you can help,
please contact him in the UK at 'The Bungalow, 1 Vine Close, West
Drayton, Middlesex, UB7 9HH, United Kingdom'. or e-mail me and I will
pass the details on to him. Thanks in advance. Jon Say |
jonathan.say@virgin.net
8.11.99 |
Have you any
information on the "Wairoa" that first sailed to NZ in 1876.
Information from the Canterbury Museum states that it arrived on its
maiden voyage from East India Dock to Lyttelton. My Great Grandfather
(William Wilson) was a passenger on it. |
tom.bowie@xtra.co.nz
29.11.99 |
Hi Chaps, I
worked for the NZSCo and Federal back in the 1950's and 60's. Great
time, and enjoyed every minute of it !
Sailed on the 'Rakaia' and many other ships as a Senior Radio Officer
back then. Looking to communicate with other chaps who might have
sailed with the company about that time. Give us a buz if you remember
us.
Stuart Rae |
srae@ihug.co.nz
6.12.99 |
I am
researching Steamer TURAKINA built 1923 (refrigerated cargo ship) sunk
by German ORION 1940. My father was a master mariner and I understand
that freighters sometimes carried from 1 to 7 passengers, particularly
on the run between Australia and New Zealand. Did the TURAKINA?
Also: I found the following ship and ask if the info is correct.
TURAKINA 1902 Twin Screws NZ Shipping Co Plowman
Built 1901 Newcastle, 8,073 tons for UK-NZ trade. 60 1st, 50 2nd and
80 3rd class passengers. Lost by U-boat torpedo 120 miles off Scilly
Is 13/8/17
Also:
TURAKINA 1882 Lyttelton 1189 tons immigrant ship to NZ
TURAKINA X CITY OF PERTH which superseded WAIMATE (are these the same
sailing ship - and what was she (schooner?) Are all these TURAKINAs
"sister" ships?
Elizabeth |
eliwdfld@wave.co.nz
30.12.99 |
My father's
grandfather was the commander of SS AUPOURI (built Glasgow) for
Northern Steam Ship Company of Auckland, on her maiden voyage (almost
12 weeks) to New Zealand. Either he, or his father commanded the first
steam-sailer to NZ as I understand. What is the name of this ship and,
what year? Elizabeth |
eliwdfld@wave.co.nz
30.12.99 |
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