The Era of Coastal Shipping in New Zealand

- The Small Motor Ships -

by Murray Jennings

* 192 pages in 260 x 190 mm format

* Over 200 photos including 25 in colour

* Hardcover 5c cover

* Endpapers

* ISBN 0-908876-22-X

780 grams

RRP in New Zealand $50

For many years the transport of goods between New Zealand towns was done by ships which would voyage from one port to another.  Gradually as roads improved this trade died.  The introduction of the inter-island roll-on roll-off ferries in 1962 finally killed most coastal trade.  Many small ports simply ceased to operate and with them went a whole era of New Zealand social and maritime history.

This book presents the stories of some of those who worked on ships and the history of the port of Raglan is presented as an illustrative example of a coastal port that no longer exists as such.  The bulk of the book is a presentation of all the motor ships that operated between 100 and 1600 tonnes with illustrations, specifications and a brief history.