The shipbuilding industry of Auckland appears to have commenced somewhere in the late 'forties, but the records of this interesting subject are either negligible or non-existent. Amongst the earliest boatbuilders mention must be made of Messrs. Henry Niccol, Holmes Bros., Alex. Duthie, Wm. J. Brown, Captain McCoy, and Mr. Stone, whose yards seem to have been kept busy. To the latter belongs the credit of building the first steamboat in New Zealand, which was launched at Freeman's Bay on December 24th, 1851. She was named (contrary to her sex) _Governor Wynyard_. Her dimensions were as follows: Length over all, 60 feet; beam, 13 feet 6 inches; depth of hold, 6 feet; burthen, 43 tons; draught of water with engines and fuel, 2 feet 6 inches. She was propelled by two steeple engines of 4 horse-power each. The designers were Messrs. Stone and Gardiner, the engine being constructed by Mr. Bourne. The steamer made her first trip to Panmure on January 19th, 1852, in very trying weather, and acquitted herself satisfactorily to all concerned. She developed a speed of eight knots. From a commercial point of view the boat was not a success, and was sold later in that year to a Melbourne firm. On the Yarra she proved a great "moneymaker," as she earned as much as £80 in a day. [Illustration: Auckland, 1876 Showing Fort Britomart in course of demolition _W. C. Wilson, delt._] At what date Mr. Niccol commenced his business the writer has not been able to find out, but he was engaged on shipbuilding in the 'fifties, during which period he built a vessel named the _Moa_. He also constructed a number of vessels for Australian owners and for the proprietors of the Circular Saw Line. One of the boats belonging to the latter, of which we have knowledge, was the barque _Novelty_, which was launched from Mr. Niccol's yard, Mechanics Bay, on 11th October, 1862. She was the largest vessel built in Auckland up to that time--a record which still holds in local shipbuilding, as far as the writer's knowledge obtains. Her dimensions were: Length over all, 147 feet; beam, 27 feet 6 inches; depth of hold, 14 feet 9 inches; registered tonnage, 376 tons. The christening of the vessel was performed by Miss Macfarlane, daughter of one of the owners, in traditional fashion, and the event, as befitted its importance, was celebrated by a banquet. The _Novelty_ was a well-designed and faithfully-built vessel, and did good service for her owners. She did the voyage from Auckland to Sydney in five days.