Following the success of Australian migrant Ships 1946-1971 Peter Plowman examines the ships and shipping companies used to transport migrants to Australia and New Zealand from 1900 to 1939. He documents the ships bringing migrants to Australia and New Zealand from 1900 to the outbreak of World War II: where they were built, by whom, their tonnage, dimensions, service speed and propulsion, when and where they were launched and the history of their migrant-carrying voyages.
During this period no regular assisted passage scheme was available, though from time to time various government incentives were offered. The majority paid the full fare, and they mostly travelled on regular passenger liners.
The first years of the new century saw the introduction of new and large tonnage to both the Australian and New Zealand trade. Among these was the Athenic trip built for the New Zealand trade by White Star Line, while from 1903 P&O took delivery of ten 'M' class liners for their Australian service. New shipbuilding continued with their five ships of the Orsova class for the Orient Line in 1909, while the New Zealand Shipping Company added three new ships during 1909/10. A year later the P&O Branch Line built five vessels designed to bring migrants to Australia in large numbers. The majority of migrants arriving in Australia and New Zealand came from Great Britain, but there was also a steady flow from Germany and Italy.
The commonwealth Government had no scheme to attract migrants to Australia. This was left to the states. In 1912 Victoria contracted with three shipping lines to bring 24,000 British migrants to Melbourne at £12 per head. New South Wales sought nominated immigrants, whose fares would be paid in part of full by relatives and friends in Australia.
To meet the increase in demand for migrant passengers, several companies built large cargo ships fitted with temporary quarters for a thousand or more passengers on the outward voyage.
The high cost of a passage to New Zealand discouraged migration but numbers rose in 1904 with government assistance. The outbreak of was brought migration to a halt.
The first British government subsidised migration in 1919 was to assist ex-servicemen migrating to Australia and New Zealand. During 1922 no less than 15 liners joined the Australian migration trade - five bay ships for the Australian Government, a second group of five B ships for the P&O Branch line, two for the Aberdeen line, plus three ex-German ships operated by the Orient Line.
The early 1920s saw one of New Zealand's major immigrations flows. It also saw a dramatic rise in the number of Italian migrants heading for Australia. In 1925 the British and Australian Governments announced they would fund the immigration of about 450,000 men and women to Australia from Britian. The outbreak if war in September 19390 halted all migration.
Contents:
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Orient
Austral
Rome
Ionic
Aberdeen, Australasian, Damascus & Thermopylae
Orizaba & Oroya
Ormuz
The P&O Jubilees
Orotava & Oruba
Early Messageries Maritimes Vessels
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Australia & Himalaya
Ophir
The NDL Oldenburg Class
Gothic
Shire Line Vessels
Nineveh
Prinz Regent Luitpold &
Prinz Heinrich
The P&O India Class
Narrung, Wakool & Wilcannia
Friendrich der Grosse & Barbarossa
Konigin Luise & Bremen
Delphic
Moravian & Salamis
Papanui & Paparoa
Waiwera & Kumara
Karamea
Medic, Afric & Persic
Omrah
Ortona
Houlder Bros Vessels
Rhein & Neckar
Federal Line Vessels
Grosser Kurfurst
Early NZSC Vessels
Runic & Suevic
Athenic, Corinthic & Ionic
Commonwealth & Geelomg
Orontes
The German Generals
Dumbea & Nera
Orbita
Kaikoura & Kaipara
Australind, Armadale & Ajana
Matatua & Mamari
Miltides & Marathon
The P&O M Class
The NDL Bulow Class
Asturias
Arawa
Tainui
Pericles
Waratah
The Orsova Class
Ruahine
Rotorua & Remuera
Aeneas, Ascanius & Anchises
Norseman
Rangatira, Pakeha, Zealandic & Waimana
The First P&O B Class
Belgic
Orama
Indrapura, Makarini & Hawkes Bay
Argyllshire, Shropshire & Wiltshire
Themistocles & Demosthenes
Cassel & Chemnitz
Port Lincoln & Port Macquarie
Ceramic
Nestor & Ulysses
Euripides
The P&O K Class
Hororata
Star of Victoria & Star of England
Kaisar-I-Hind
Gange, Louqsor & El Kantara
Naldera & Narkunda
Ormonde
Megantic
Early Italian Vessels
The French Villes
Mahana
The Second P&O B Class
Orcades
Ormuz
The Bays
Re d'Italia & Regina d-Italia
Cephee & Antinous
The Last Aberdeen Liners
Moldavia & Mongolia
Mooltan & Maloja
Principessa Giovanna & Principessa Maria
The P&O C Class
Palermo
Vedic
The Orient Line Orama Class
Taormina
Commissaire Ramel
Maria Cristina
Rangitiki, Rangitoto & Rangitane
Princuipe di Udine
Ranpura & Ranchi
Esquilino, Viminale, Romolo & Remo
Eridan
Strathnaver & Strathaird
Carthage & Corfu
Orion & Orcades
Srathmore, Stratheden & Strathallan
Dominion Monarch
Index
