Union Company - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Union_Company

Union Company
Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand Limited
—when there was no chance of confusion casually referred to
as Union, Union Company, Union Steam Ship
Company (USS Co), or Union Line— was once the biggest
shipping line in the southern hemisphere and New Zealand's
largest private-sector employer. It was incorporated by James
Mills in Dunedin in 1875 with the backing of a Scottish
shipbuilder, Peter Denny.[1] Bought by shipping giant P & O
around the time of the First World War it was sold in 1972 to
an Australasian consortium and closed at the end of the
twentieth century.

Contents
History
James Mills
Local competition
Trans-Tasman Head office, Water Street, Dunedin
P&O designed 1883

Norrie Falla
Australian National Airways ANA
Union Airways NAC
Tasman Empire Airways TEAL Air New Zealand
Falla dies
P&O sell to T N T
Brierley Investments
Ferries
Steamer Express Wellington to Lyttelton Five directors (back) of the Union
Wellington to Picton Steam Ship Company in 1881,
including John Richard Jones, John
Fleet
Cargill, and George McLean; David
See also and James Mills in the foreground
Notes
Bibliography
External links

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History

James Mills
James Mills had worked for Johnny Jones and his Harbour
Steam Company. After Jones’ death in 1869 Mills tried twice to
float a Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand Limited
without attracting enough interest from local investors but in
1875 he found backing from Scottish shipbuilder Peter Denny Hawea run ashore at the entrance to
in return for Union Steam Ship orders for Denny's Dumbarton the Grey River, 1908
shipyard. The Denny-built Hawea and Taupo, both then large
by local standards, arrived in mid 1875 and entered service.
Union Steam Ship took over the Harbour Steam Company's vessels on 1 July 1875.[2]

Local competition

Union Steam Ship became a major shipping line dubbed "The Southern Octopus" with a near-
monopoly on trans-Tasman shipping.[1] It steadily mopped up trans-Tasman and coastal shipping
businesses including Anchor, Canterbury Steam, Richardson & Co and Holm.

Trans-Tasman

From 1889 there was three-way competition between Union Steam Ship, Huddart Parker and
Tasmanian Steam Navigation Company (TSNCo) on the Tasmanian routes (Melbourne –
Launceston, Hobart – Melbourne and Hobart – Sydney). TSNCo did not have other routes to
absorb their Tasmanian losses and was bought out by USSCo in 1891. The rivalry between USSCo
and Huddart Parker lasted to 1895 despite an earlier agreement in 1893. There was undercutting
of fares and there were steamers shadowing each other from port to port. USSCo's Rotomahana
and Mararoa would sail alongside the Miowra and Warrimoo, with other ships like the Te Anau
and Manapouri sailing before and after and bracketing the Huddart Parker ships. The 1895
agreement between the two lines pooled the Auckland-Sydney profits and losses; the Melbourne-
Launceston profits were divided 4/7 to USSCo and 3/7 to Huddart Parker. The Sydney-Hobart
passenger trade was excluded but the cargo and stock trade was divided 2/3 to USSCo and 1/3 to
Huddart Parker.[3] Mark Twain criticised travel conditions on a Union Company ship in 1897 in his
travel book Following the Equator.

Mills was knighted in 1907 and raised to K.C.M.G. in 1909. He was a UK resident after 1907 and
died in London in 1936. By 1914 Union Steam Ship had 75 ships. It was the biggest shipping line in
the southern hemisphere and New Zealand's largest private-sector employer.[1]

P&O
In 1917 P & O shareholders were asked to confirm their directors' prior purchase of Union Steam
Ship with the information that USSCo had a valuable coasting trade within New Zealand,
connections with India and Australia and a line of steamers running between Australia, New
Zealand and Canada. The Union Steam Ship fleet was described as 74 high class steamers with a

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tonnage of 237,860 and of an average age of 12 years.[4][5] In

November 1920, rumours surfaced that the head office of the
company would shift from Dunedin to Wellington.[6] At the
end of 1920, it became known that the board of directors
would remain in Dunedin, but that all headquarters staff
would transfer to Wellington.[7] The move happened in late
1921, with all head office functions in Wellington after the New
Year holidays. About 70 staff transferred to Wellington, ending
46 years of Dunedin as the company's head quarters.[8]
Union Steam Ship Company's 3,721
ton MV Kaimiro loading cargo in
Norrie Falla Lyttelton, New Zealand, in 1968

With the Dunedin staff came Norrie Falla as general traffic

manager. He had joined as a boy in Westport in 1898 and finished his accountancy exams in 1906.
In 1910 he was put in charge of the cargoes and movements of Union's 65-strong fleet. Falla
volunteered immediately for service in the 1914—1918 first world war. He was promoted to
lieutenant colonel in 1916 and returned to his former post in 1919. He succeeded David Aiken as
general manager in March 1934 and was appointed chairman in January 1936 on the death of
founder Sir James Mills.[9]

Falla ordered two new passenger ships and began a steady renewal of cargo ships commissioning
11 ships between 1935 and 1939.[9]

Falla also took Union Company into airlines. First in 1934 into East Coast Airways and then Cook
Strait Airways in 1935.[9]

Australian National Airways ANA

Union in conjunction with Holyman's Airways and Huddart Parker set up an airline across Bass
Strait which began business in September 1934. In 1935 they added Adelaide Steamship as a
partner in the venture which was renamed Australian National Airways the following year.[9]

Union took up a 20 per cent interest on the formation of Australian National Airways in 1936.[9]

Union Airways NAC

In 1935 Union Airways of New Zealand was formed by Union Steam Ship and it built an air service
through New Zealand. Union Airways was nationalised by the government in 1947 and renamed
National Airways Corporation.[9] Union Travel remained a substantial operation as travel agents
and tour operators.

Tasman Empire Airways TEAL Air New Zealand

Union was instrumental in establishing this business in particular by buying the first three flying
boats which began operations in April 1940. TEAL became Air New Zealand.[9]

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Falla dies

During the 1939—1945 second world war Falla returned to the Army with the rank of brigadier. He
was later based in London as New Zealand representative on the Ministry of War Transport. He
joined the main board of P&O Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company in 1944. On his
way back to New Zealand aged 62 he suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and died at sea 6 November
1945.[9]

P&O sell to T N T
Australian road transport business, Thomas Nationwide Transport, had a substantial road
transport stake in New Zealand. With New Zealand investors TNT bought USSCo from P & O in
1971.[10]

In 1990 Union Steam Ship operated seven ships, and was involved in ship management, tourism,
real estate and other ventures. By 2000, the Union Bulk[11] barge made its last voyage.[12]

Brierley Investments
At the end of the 20th century Brierley Investments bought all the shares, broke Union Steam Ship
into components and sold up what it could.

Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand owned more than 350 ships and has been the subject
of a number of books.

Ferries

Steamer Express Wellington to Lyttelton

Union Steam Ship began regular sailings between Wellington

and Lyttelton in 1895 with the Penguin making two round
trips a week. In 1905 this became a daily service year round. In Steamer Express TEV Hinemoa,
1933 the name "Steamer Express" was adopted for the built in England in 1946 and
service.[13] Over the years a number of ships were used, scrapped in Hong Kong in 1971
including two Maoris, two Wahines, two Rangatiras, and a
Hinemoa.[14]

TEV Wahine entered service in October 1966 and foundered and sank at the mouth of Wellington
Harbour 18 months later in April 1968. The TEV Rangatira entered service in 1972 and was
withdrawn in 1976, bringing the Wellington–Lyttelton "Steamer Express" to an end.[13]

Wellington to Picton

In what has been described as "a fatal mistake",[15] the Union Steam Ship announced in 1956 that
the Tamahine was to be withdrawn from the Wellington-Picton route in 1962 and unlikely to be
replaced (despite an offer of a $3 million government loan).[16] The designer of the replacement

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ferry the GMV Aramoana recalled that, "The media said the
whole thing was a red herring", adding, "In their view, if the
Union Steam Ship Company couldn't make the service pay,
Railways definitely couldn't."[17]

Fleet

Tamahine, built in 1925 and

scrapped in 1962

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In Gross
Name Built Notes
service tonnage

SS Aorangi (1883) 1883 1883–1915 4,163 GT Sunk 10 August 1915 at Scapa Flow

MV Aorangi (1924) 1924 1924–1953 17,491 GT Arrived 25 July 1953 at Clydeside for breaking up

TSS Arahura 1905 1905–1926 1,607 GT

Missing off the China sea after acquisition by

SS Hauroto 1882 1882–1915 1,988 GT
Hauroto Steamship Co. Ltd., Hong Kong

TEV Hinemoa 1946 1947–1967 6,911 GT

SS Maheno 1905 1905–1935 5,323 GT

TSS Maori 1906 1907–1946 3,399 GT

TEV Maori 1952 1953–1972 8,303 GT

SS Marama 1907 1907–1937 6,437 GT

SS Makura 1908 1908–1937 8,075 GT Arrived 8 April 1937 at Shanghai for breaking up

SS Manapouri 1882 1882–1915 1,783 GT First to have electric lights[18] Sunk 1945.[19]

Sold 1948 as SS Cyrenia; arrived 1957 at

TSS Maunganui 1911 1911–1957 7,527 GT
Savona for breaking up

Ex-SS Razmak (1925–1930); sold 1960 in Hong

SS Monowai 1925 1925–1960 10,852 GT
Kong for breaking up

She and sister ship, Taupo, were built by William

Denny and Brothers.[20] The Ohau arrived on 14
January 1885[21] and Taupo on 10 March
1885.[22] Ohau sank whilst carrying timber and
coal. She was supposed foundered in a heavy
gale. Last seen off Cape Campbell on 12 May
SS Ohau 1885 1885–1899 411 GT 1899. Some wreckage was found near
Castlepoint. Lost with all 22 crew.[23] An inquiry
into the loss dismissed claims that the ship was
too low in the water.[24] A council-published
heritage trail says locals still find coal on the
shore near Cape Campbell, likely from the
Ohau.[25]

Sunk 12 February 1909 off Cape Terawhiti; 75

SS Penguin 1864 1879–1909 874 GT
deaths

TEV Rangatira 1930 1931–1965 6,152 GT

TEV Rangatira 1971 1972–1976 9,387 GT

The name was used by at least two other ships

of the era. The first mild steel ship in the Union
SS Rotomahana 1879 1879–1921 1,727 GT
fleet.[26] Built by Denny shipyard. Scrapped in
1926.[27]

Ex-RMS Port Kingston (1904–1911); sunk 12

RMS Tahiti 1904 1904–1930 5,323 GT
August 1930 off Rarotonga; no death

Sunk 29 April 1881 off Waipapa Point; 131

SS Tararua 1864 1864–1881 563 GT
deaths

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In Gross
Name Built Notes
service tonnage

Ran aground on the Masela Island Reef off Cape

TSS Wahine 1912 1913–1951 4,436 GT
Palsu in the Arafura Sea

Sunk 10 April 1968 after hitting Barrett Reef

TEV Wahine 1966 1966–1968 8,948 GT
during an extra-tropical cyclone; 53 deaths.

SS Waihora 1882 1882–1903 2,003 GT

SS Waihora 1907 1907–1927 4,638 GT

Sunk 29 October 1894 off Great Barrier Island;

SS Wairarapa 1882 1882–1894 1,786 GT
140 deaths

SS Warrimoo 1901 1901–1914 3,326 GT

SS Whangape (1900)[28] 1900 1900–1928 2,931 GT Sister ship to SS Mont-Blanc (1899)[29][30]

See also
Union Airways of New Zealand — Union Line's airline subsidiary

Notes
1. McLean, Gavin (20 November 2013). "Mills, James" (http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2
m48/mills-james). Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
2. "Telegraphic News" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18750630.2.11?quer
y=union%20steam%20ship). New Zealand Times. 30 June 1875. p. 2 – via Papers Past.
3. McLean 1990, pp. 49–66.
4. Company Meetings, The Times, Thursday, Jun 28, 1917; pg. 11; Issue 41516
5. "The shipping fusion" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19170628.2.49).
Evening Star (16462). 28 June 1917. p. 6. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
6. "The Union Company" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ME19201113.2.7).
Mataura Ensign. 13 November 1920. p. 3. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
7. "Untitled" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19201216.2.31). Otago Daily
Times (18120). 16 December 1920. p. 4. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
8. "Shifting headquarters" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19211119.2.14).
Evening Star (17822). 19 November 1921. p. 2. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
9. Norris Stephen Falla (https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4f3/falla-norris-stephen) Te Ara
Encyclopedia of New Zealand
10. "Bids Deals and Mergers". The Times (57963). 5 September 1970. p. 16.
11. "New Zealand Maritime Index" (http://www.nzmaritimeindex.org.nz/izvessel.php?ID=51030197
&name=UNION%2520BULK%25201&db=&dm=&ds=&dh=&gsn=&owner=&num=&sh=&st=&s
d=&svv=&typ=&tid=0&tix=0&tot=1&wds=&pix=0&sourceid=&refid=&hit=1).
www.nzmaritimeindex.org.nz. NZNMM. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
12. "Union Steam Ship Company flag" (http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/union-steamship-
company-flag). New Zealand history. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
13. "Steamer Express" (http://www.nzcoastalshipping.com/steamerexpress.html). New Zealand
Coastal Shipping. Retrieved 8 February 2015.

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14. McLean, Gavin (13 July 2012). "Page 6. The Union Company expands" (http://www.teara.govt.
nz/en/shipping/page-6). Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
15. McLean, Gavin (2009). A Voice for Shipping (http://nzsf.org.nz/system/comfy/cms/files/files/00
0/000/071/original/2009_A_Voice_for_Shipping_full_book.pdf) (PDF). New Zealand Shipping
Federation Inc. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-877448-76-8.
16. "New Zealand's Cook Strait Rail Ferries" (http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/railferries.htm). The
New Zealand Maritime Record. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
17. "Cook-Strait ferries changed the nature of shipping in New Zealand" (http://static.stuff.co.nz/fil
es/FerryTaleCelebration.pdf) (PDF). The Marlborough Express. 13 August 2012.
18. "Red and Black" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19331014.2.157.43).
Auckland Star. 14 October 1933. Retrieved 23 August 2020 – via Papers Past.
19. "Manapouri 1882–1915" (https://www.nzshipmarine.com/nodes/view/136). New Zealand Ship
and Marine Society. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
20. "New Boats for the Union Company. EVENING POST" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/news
papers/EP18850106.2.43). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 6 January 1885. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
21. "SHIPPING. EVENING STAR" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18850114.2.
19). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 14 January 1885. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
22. "TELEGRAMS. EVENING POST" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP18850311.
2.19). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 11 March 1885. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
23. "Return of Wrecks and Casualties to Shipping reported to the Marine Department from the 1st
April, 1899, to the 31st March, 1900" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/appendix
-to-the-journals-of-the-house-of-representatives/1900/I/3027). Retrieved 17 June 2021 – via
natlib.govt.nz.
24. "INQUIRY INTO THE LOSS OF THE S.S. OHAU. COLONIST" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.n
z/newspapers/TC18990629.2.13). paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 June 1899. Retrieved 21 May
2021.
25. "Marlborough Heritage Trails" (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=bc
40a83c8b4146609a0d2b3f71ea17fc). www.arcgis.com. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
26. "Old steamer doomed" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19280412.2.119).
New Zealand Herald. 12 April 1928. Retrieved 23 August 2020 – via Papers Past.
27. "Steamer Rotomahana" (https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19260512.2.74).
Auckland Star. 12 May 1926. Retrieved 23 August 2020 – via Papers Past.
28. "Steamers & Motorships". Lloyd's Register of Shipping (https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/sh
ipdata/pdfs/33/33b0627.pdf) (PDF). II. Lloyd's Register Foundation. 1933. Retrieved 15 June
2019.
29. Amended Plan of the Midship Section of a Steel Screw Steamer Mont Blanc (https://hec.lrfoun
dation.org.uk/archive-library/documents/lr-faf-tb21-0009-p-mont-blanc-1899), Lloyd's Register
Foundation, 6 May 1898, retrieved 15 June 2019
30. Engine and Boiler Arrangement for Mont Blanc (https://hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/archive-library/s
hips/mont-blanc-1899/search/everywhere:mont-blanc/page/1/document/lr-faf-tb21-0013-p-mo
nt-blanc-1899), Lloyd's Register Foundation, 6 May 1898, retrieved 24 June 2019

Bibliography
Farquhar, Ian (2001). Union Fleet. Wellingotn: New Zealand Ship & Marine Society.
ISBN 0959783474.
McGregor, Rae (2009). Sailing to Success: The Union Company Cadet Scheme. Wellington:

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Union Company - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Company

New Zealand Ship & Marine Society on behalf of Union Company Cadets Reunion Committee.
ISBN 9780473152178.
McLean, Gavin (1989). Ships of the Union Company. Wellington, NZ: GP Government Print.
ISBN 0-477-00016-9.
McLean, Gavin (1990). The Southern Octopus. Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Ship and Marine
Society & Wellington Maritime Museum. ISBN 0959783431.
McLauchlan, Gordon (1987). The Line that Dared: A history of the Union Steam Ship Company
1875–1975. Auckland: Four Star Books. ISBN 0-9597853-0-2.

External links
Grace, Michael L (10 September 2009). "The TEV Wahine Disaster and the Union Steamship
Company of New Zealand" (http://cruiselinehistory.com/cruise-ship-history-the-tev-wahine-disa
ster-and-the-union-steamship-company-of-new-zealand/). Cruise Ship History.
McLean, Gavin. "Union Steam Ship Company" (http://nzshipmarine.com/nodes/view/1305).
New Zealand Ship & Marine Society.
McLintock, AH, ed. (1966). "The Union Steam Ship Co.". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand (ht
tp://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/shipping-overseas-and-coastal-lines/9). RE Owen,
Government Printer.
"Lyttelton-Wellington ferries" (http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/node/5793). New Zealand History.
"Page 6. The Union Company Expands" (http://www.teara.govt.nz/EarthSeaAndSky/SeaAndAi
rTransport/Shipping/6/en). Te Ara, the Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.

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