Circular Saw Line - A shipping line out of Auckland

Circular Saw Line, Henderson & Macfarlane - House Flag 

Recently watching the final episode of four in the documentary series “ Making New Zealand.”  about the Union Steam Ship Company ( “ The Southern Octopus”). reminded me of another early shipping line which came out of Auckland. A Part of the Past NZ History - Henderson & Macfarlane and their ownership of the Circular Saw Line. ( Note: There are several derivations of Macfarlane in sources looked at. eg. Mcfarlane,

Auckland in its Early Days Courtesy The British Library     Flikr

                                                                                                                           

From small beginnings with a cutter Oddfellow and a schooner Lucidan in 1844 expansion of the shipping line went with the growth of the Auckland province, until the firm's merchant fleet were sailing the trading routes throughout the Pacific and Tasman Oceans. To the Australian Ports of Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart, Newcastle and Adelaide. The Islands and trading posts of Polynesia. As far away as China and across to America and the Port of San Francisco. Even Valparaiso on South America's western coast.

                                                       

  The Tasmanian Coast near Hobart, Tasmania, Australia   Photo CRB 2014

                                                                                                                         

As well as all manner of cargo, including livestock, Henderson & Macfarlane also bought immigrants to New Zealand's and other shores aboard the merchant ships.

Beginning years: The  era of Thomas Henderson, Henry Macfarlane , John Macfarlane

Co - partners in the beginning years were Thomas Henderson Snr., Henry Macfarlane and his brother John Macfarlane. Drawn together by family links of marriage and immigration to New Zealand in 1840. The names of Thomas Henderson, his wife Catherine Henderson (nee Macfarlane) and Henry Macfarlane are recorded on the passenger list of the ship  London but checking several sources has not shown the name of John Macfarlane as a passenger on this voyage of the London.

Arriving in Auckland by 1842, the three became established in what was then a small community.Thomas Henderson was first Chairman and on the first Board of Directors for the newly formed in August 1959, New Zealand Insurance Company. Also on the first Board of Trustees for Auckland, the Bank of New Zealand in June 1861.

Henry Macfarlane left Auckland for Honolulu arriving there in 1846, where he also carried on what he did in Auckland - running a hotel - also called the Commercial Hotel.

Under the management of Thomas Henderson and John Macfarlane, the Circular Saw shipping line ( Henderson & Macfarlane) increased.

Three of the Henderson & Macfarlane vessels  in this era - Gazelle, Gertrude and Breadalbane –which bought the Highland settlers to New Zealand shores and Waipu ( near Whangarei ) from Nova Scotia in the 1850's , were acquired by Henderson & Macfarlane.

The Barque Breadalbane - In The New Zealand Insurance Company Limited. Bold Century. Auckland:
The New Zealand Insurance Company Limited, 1959.

Sailing the Pacific and Tasman had its difficulties too with shipwreck. The route along the bottom of Australia - Adelaide to Melbourne gained a reputation for shipwreck. Yet in hindsight low numbers for loss of life on this stretch of rugged coastline. Port Phillip, Melbourne at its entrance and the Bass Strait Islands of Tasmania - danger areas for the Circular Saw line sailing the trade routes to Melbourne and Tasmania.

The brig Spencer was reported shipwrecked, between Cape Liptrap and Wilson Promontory, on 13^th January 1954. Spencer was outward bound from Melbourne to New Zealand with 28 passengers and a general cargo. Five persons lost their lives.

Coastline West of Melbourne near Twelve Apostles - Photo CRB 2014

The sea route to San Francisco also saw shipwrecks amongst the islands of the Pacific.

The brig Fanny was reported shipwrecked on 7 July 1850 at Fortuna -  A reef about forty-five miles distant from Somo-Somo, one of the Fejee Islands( today known as Fiji).

In November 1859 the launch of the newly completed barque Constance from the Bristol Shipyard of William Patterson, Shipbuilder was reported in the Bristol Mirror. ( The Bristol Mirror, November 5, 1859) The same English Shipyard and Shipbuilder that the s.s Great Britain came out of and which vessel also had immigration links with Australia and New Zealand. Attending the launch of Constance was John Macfarlane, co- owner of Henderson & Macfarlane Circular Saw Line, Mr. and Mrs. Alger ( for whose daughter Constance the barque was named after ) Miss Edith Sheppard of Sydney who christened Constance on her launch and Mr. Sheppard.

Deck of Restored s.s. Great Britain at Bristol 1989 - Photo ASB

Constance on arrival in New Zealand was put on the San Francisco run. Well known was the master Captain John Butt - who in 2014 is known for the Shortland Hotel he established on the Thames Goldfields on his retirement from the sea.

Vessels of Henderson & Macfarlane in beginning era	Type	First Date Ownership
Oddfellow	Cutter	1844
Lucidan	Schooner	1844
Lucy Ann?mentioned at launch of Novelty by Niccols - building of a dinghy for Lucy Ann	Schooner	1843/44
John Bull  72 tons	Packet Schooner	1845
Fanny 171 tons	Brig	1849
Moa	Brig	1850
Spencer 222 tons	Brig	1852
Invincible 300 tons	Barque	1853
Will o ‘the Wisp 130 tons	Clipper Schooner	1852
Gazelle	Clipper Schooner	1856
Gertrude 217 tons	Brig	1858
Sybil 108 tons	Schooner	1858
Breadalbane   224 tons	Barque	1858
Kate 341 tons	Clipper Barque	1859
Gil Blas 250 tons	Brig	1858
Constance 351 tons	Clipper Barque	1860

The year of 1860 bought change and what could be said now an end of the first era for this shipping line. A destructive fire in lower Queen Street in May, affected also the bonded storehouse of Henderson & Macfarlane - a brick building. However it would seem reading the account in the newspaper that further damage was avoided thanks to sailors and others who doused the area with copious water. ( Daily Southern Cross, 18 May 1860 page 3 )

Henry Macfarlane died 9 June, 1860 in Honolulu. John Macfarlane died 5 September 1860. Thomas Macfarlane AKA Macffarlane (brother of Henry and John Macfarlane) was bought into the company to help run the business.

A new era Coastwise and Cross Seas - Circular Saw Line eras 1860 - 1886

Reference Sources

1. Brett, Henry. “White Wings (Volume I).” The Brett Printing Company Limited, 1924.
“White Wings (volume II).” Auckland: The Brett Printing Company Limited, 1928.
Books Also online – NZETC (NZ Electronic Tech Centre) White Wings
2. The Cyclopaedia of New Zealand, Vol 2, Auckland Province. Christchurch: Cyclopaedia Company Limited, 1902. Also online NZETC (NZ Electronic Tech Centre) Cyclopaedia
3. Tony Froude ,Circular Saw Line
4. Shipping coasters, ship owners, shipping companies – lists  Koel Junction
5. Ozships
6. NZ NZMI Index of Ships National Maritime Museum
7. Shipwrecks of Victoria
8 Historical records births, deaths, marriages NZ NZ BDM
9 Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand
10. Trove – newspapers Australia

Auckland Electric Tramways Company Limited

Management of the Auckland Electric Tramways Company Limited , Local Consultant and Messrs J G White and Co Ltd, the contractors (back row, from left) Messrs F N Smock, A Brown, T Duncan (middle row) Messrs Dando, R A Wilber, A Hessell Witham, W St John Clark, H Rogers, Mr James (front row) Messrs J Reed, H Clifford Eddy, W S Turner, Paul M Hansen, Matthew F Carey, James Stewart, S A Mahood  ( photo 1902)

Trams

 

There’s something about a tram. I love the swishing noise it makes as one travels along. Going to Melbourne again got me to thinking about the things I like about Melbourne which of course includes the tram transport – one can “ ride a tram” in central city. 

In Auckland it is not as long distance as in 1902 - however the Wynyard Quarter is a start of the past NZ History of trams.

CBD Tram Melbourne Photo ASB 2014

        

Auckland Electric Tramways

In a Presidential Address written and read to the Auckland Institute in 1901, James Stewart C.E. was to say on electric traction and electric trams:

“In electric traction the last decade of the century has furnished probably the greatest revolution ever witnessed in the realm of applied science, although so far as Great Britain and the Continent of Europe are concerned it has only just commenced.”

He also was to refer to his “hope that before our meeting next year, on a similar occasion to the present we shall have a practical illustration of electric traction in our midst”.  ( Presidential Address in Transactions & Proceedings, Royal Society , 1901 )

This was the construction and implementation of Auckland Electric Tramways being referred to. After what could be said to be very protracted and very confusing negotiations, with the Auckland City Council for concessions to run an electric traction system, things were moving. (The endless debates over whether tramway construction should be undertaken by Private Enterprise or Municipal Authority. Then the endless debates over whether it should be private ownership, municipal ownership or a mix.)

The Electric Tramway Debate was no different to the Water Supply proposal of the 1860’s or the Railway Construction proposals of the 1870s to 1880s. It is known that Stewart with his philosophy of “the greater good for the greater benefit of many’ did support Municipal Ownership for an established system. As by way of profits, there would be money to maintain or construct other municipal works.

 

If one compares the original Water Supply proposal with that of an Electric Tramways System the concepts were very similar. ( Daily Southern Cross 03/04/1860, page 2 )  However the 1860’s Water Supply proposal was turned down by Provincial Council because of an aversion then to private enterprise and perceived powers of the Provincial Superintendent.

The Electric Tramways system survived the early debates. The Auckland Electric Tramways Company Limited, formed in March 1899, obtained the deed (dated 28 June 1900) which delegated powers to the Company under the City of Auckland Electric Tramways Order (No 1). ( Progress, 01/02/1906,page 80 )

The other suburban authorities followed with agreement and the outcome was Auckland got an extensive Electric Tram system. Progress reported the following in 1906:

“The British Electric Traction Company, Limited, were appointed consulting engineers, and in July, 1901, contracts were placed with Messrs. J. G. White & Company, Limited, for the whole of the traction construction, overhead line, feeder system, and power station and plant. Subsequent contracts have been made with the same firms for the cars and the condensing system. The consulting engineers kept the construction and equipping of the car depots in their own hands.” ( Progress, 01/02/1906, page 80 )

 

The Auckland Electric Tramways Company Limited was headed by General Manager Mr. Paul M Hansen; Matthew Carey was appointed Electrical Superintendent. James Stewart C.E. was involved as local consultant engineer, a position he held until final retirement in 1912 (aged 80 years old.)

 

Paul M Hansen In The Cyclopaedia of New Zealand, Vol 2, Auckland Province. Christchurch: Cyclopaedia Company Limited, 1902.

                                               

“A System that surpassed all Dreams & Schemes”

The Auckland Electric Tramway System – new transport technology for a new century. An engineering feat in itself to rip up the old horse drawn tram tracks and lay the new electrified track system – twenty nine miles of them, both formation and permanent way - ( a “Spaghetti” network system of rails and electricity) To build a Power House and Electricity Reticulation supply for the tramway – fourteen months of rapid construction from September 1901 to November 1902.

                                           The Power Station Photo in Progress O1/O2/1906, Page 80
                                                                 Papers Past, National Library NZ

There was still not the technology in 1901 as we have today in 2014. No modern computerised cranes, dump trucks and motorised track laying machines, motorised concrete trucks or Hiab trucks. Again sheer “hard labour” graft – picks, shovels, handcarts, lift and carry. There could be no “over runs” on contract time because Private Enterprise was constructing and “over runs” meant huge costs. The newspapers in December 1901 reported 250 men involved in track laying for the Auckland Electric Tramways, with further work suggested for another 150 once work was fully underway.

Opening day in November 1902, when Sir Dr. John Logan Campbell drove the first tram, drew huge crowds. It was fitting that he drove the first tram, given his long years of support and involvement for tramways and railways. Forty two years on from that very first wooden tramway built from the Drury Coalfields to Slippery Creek. One that he as Chairman and Director of the Waihoihoi Coal Company Ltd and Stewart as Contracted Engineer to design the Tramway, had been involved with. It was said the two were pretty elated about this new Electric Tramway System.

Stewart, as local consultant Engineer with the Auckland Electric Tramways Company Limited was involved with the Tram Depot at Epsom , the Ponsonby Car Depot, and workshops, along with track laying. It was said the last work was documentation for the Mt. Eden and Mt. Roskill extensions. It was said that the rapid construction progress and the success of the tram transport once up and running, surpassed even his initial dreams and visions of such a system.

                                                    Auckland Star 6 January 1902 p8 Advertisements Col 8
                                                                  Papers Past, National Library NZ

             Car Sheds at Ponsonby - Progress 01/02/1906 p81

Twenty seven years later:

A PONSONBY LANDMARK GOES.—The last wall of the old Ponsonby tram barn was demolished on Saturday. Th... 

[truncated] Auckland Star,  20 May 1929, Page 10 Papers Past, National Library NZ 

The Auckland Electric Tramways Limited who constructed and ran the Auckland Electric tramway until 1919 was a private enterprise. In July 1919 it passed to the ownership of the Auckland City Council and then in January 1929 the operations were taken over by the Auckland Transport Board.

Reference Source:

1 . The Cyclopaedia of New Zealand, Vol 2, Auckland Province. Christchurch: Cyclopaedia Company Limited, 1902.
2. Stewart, Graham. The end of the penny section : when trams ruled the streets of New Zealand. Rev. enl. ed.Wellington.N.Z.: Grantham House, 1993.
3. In Transactions & Proceedings NZ Institute ( Royal Society NZ ) Volume 34, 1901, Art. I.—Presidential Address. , By Jas Stewart C.E
4. Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand