Northern Steamship Company

The Northern Steam Ship Company Ltd (NSS) served the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand from 1881 to 1974. Its headquarters, the Northern Steam Ship Company Building, remains in use on Quay St, Auckland as a bar.

Initially there were very few roads and they were muddy and narrow, so a constant theme in early papers was a demand from small coastal settlements for a regular shipping service to link them with the major ports. For example, in 1874 a steamer service from Onehunga to Raglan and Port Waikato was given a subsidy by Auckland Province.

Capt. Alexander McGregor had the steam ship Rowena built in Auckland in 1872. He joined with a syndicate of owners to run the Argyle, Iona, Glenelg, Staffa, Rowena, Fingal and Katikati, as Auckland Steam Packet Co. ASP went into liquidation in 1878 due to losses on a ship for the Fiji trade, the SS Llewellyn.

On 11 May 1881 nineteen businessmen, including some of the syndicate, formed NSS, taking over the ASP's ships. Thomas Morrin, David Cruickshank, Alexander McGregor, Thomas Ball, James Macfarlane and James McCosh Clark were the first directors.

NSS paid a 10% dividend in its first year and started acquiring extra ships. The 256 ton Macgregor entered service in September 1881. In 1883 Capt. McGregor went to Britain to buy new steamers for the Tauranga and Russell routes. In 1884 NSS Clansman and Gairloch (wrecked in 1903 and remaining on the beach at Oakura) arrived.

They were also active in opening up new ports, such as at Te Puke in 1881 and ports north of Whangarei in 1893.

On 6 June 1888 Capt. McGregor was replaced as manager by Charles Ranson. He retired in 1921, after greatly expanding the company.

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