Huntingdon, Hertford, Cumberland, Sussex

The New Zealand Shipping Co. Ltd. was formed in January 1873 in Christchurch with an authorised capital of £250,000, divided into ten thousand shares of £25 each. a large fleet of chartered and owned sailing ships was used at first, with Mataura of 898 grt sailing from Port Chalmers on 12th June 1882 with the company’s first frozen meat cargo for London. Despite problems with the cooling of the cargo the 150 tonnes of carcasses arrived in perfect condition after a voyage of 103 days. The first steamer in the fleet was Tongariro of 4,163 grt completed in 1883 by the Govan yard of John Elder & Company in Glasgow. By the turn of the century, refrigerated steamers of the New Zealand Shipping Co. Ltd., Scottish Shire Line and Shaw, Savill & Albion Co. Ltd. had completely transformed farming in New Zealand.