History of USSC

since 1875

The Union Steam Ship Com pany NZ Ltd. is as much a part of the Islands as palm trees and coral reefs. Islands old hands (and new hands for that matter) will therefore welcome the pub lication of Union Fleet 1875- 1968, a booklet which describes itself, somewhat quaintly, as “being a list of ships owned by the Union Steam Ship Company . . . since its inception in Dunedin in 1875, together with a list of some of the significant dates in the history of the Line”.

Among significant dates in USSC’s history are: • August 21, 1877. Taiaroa started a mail service from Sydney to Noumea under con tract to the Government of New Caledonia. 9 June 4, 1884. Waircirapo left Auckland on the first excursion by the company to the South Seas. • April, 1914. The Grand Pacific Hotel, Suva, was built by USSC. (It was sold in 1959).

Published by NZ Ship and Marine Society, Union Fleet is written by I. J. Farquhar and handsomely illustrated (18 pic tures) by J. E. Hobbs. It is available from the society for

Snzi.