CHART ROOM GOSSIP.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12378, 18 December 1905, Page 9

CHART ROOM GOSSIP.

Mr Watson, chief officer of the Arahur*. changed into the Patceuo at Picton on Friday. . ' •Mr Morley has beon appointed chief officer of tho Takapuua, in place of Mr Brown, who has come ashore for instructions. Mr 0. Roberts, late third officer of the W«rituoo, joined the Maheno at Wellington on Saturday, in a similar capacity. Mr Carson is joining the Rotoiti as third officer in place of Mr McA.iater, who comes to Lyttelton for instructions. Mr" Wallace; formerly in tho Island trade, has been appointed purser of the Wainui. Mr Wiiliains is to join the Mapourika. as second officer, Mr Cowan going off on holiday leave. Captain Backstrom, who has been acting master of the Rosamond, has rejoined the Vainui. Mi W. J. Carey, formerly chief officer of tho Hawea, is now chief oificer of the Wainui, while Mr A. B. Cain is now second officer of the latter vessel. Mr P. Wal.is is purser, and Mr R. Hankey chief steward. Mx Cushman. of Port Chahnere, late chief officer of tho Xnvua, has been appointed ftciing master of the Kosumond, aud took comruand at Onehungß on Tuesday last. Mr Hobcrtson, late chief officer of tho Tarawera. had succeeded to the position rondered vacant on the Navua. Captain Hales, who has been acting master of tho Poherun, has been appointed to tho command oi the Union Company's eteamcr Hahinaputt. and Captain B!*nchard, of the latter vessel, is now master of the Flore, in place, of Captain McXiiir, who has resigned. Captain Hutchings, late nctincr master of th» Corinna, has rejoined the Poherua. Captain tipeuce, who is at present acting master of tho Mahinapua, will probably return to the Wakatipv us diief oflicer. Mr 1). Robertson, a eon of Mr David , Robertson, of tho Phoenix Foundry, Wellington, is now chief engineer of tho stoamor Petrol, trading in Eastern waters in the vicinity of Penang. Mr L. Waiter Biffga. who was for some years associated with Howard Smith line of steamers—notably the Lcura and Buninyong— is now chief steward of the large oversea "Grange" liner Oswestry Grange, which left Wi iauistown for London, via Durban, a few" days ago. Captain A. Houchton has been elected to fill a vacancy on the Council pf the Mercantile Marine Sorvice Association. He is an old Worcester boy, and his apprenticeship was served on the Superb, a fine chip belonging to Messrs Green, of Blackwall. Captain Houghton aleo sailed in the well-remem-bered B.aek Ball liner Royal Dane, -under tho command of one of tho beet known chipI masters of bis day, Captain Daniel K. Bolt. After serving for nineteen months as second officer of tho Glasbow barque Lucayas, Captain Houghton in 1873 joined the P. and O. S.N. Company, but promotion in those days being slow, he resigned the berth two years afterwards, and again went into nail, serving as officer in the Ramsey. Southesk, and , North, when, for the eecond time, he turned his attention to steam, and accepted »n appointment as eecond officer of the old Benin, belonging to the African Steam Ship Company, being eventually promoted to chief officer whicliposition he held {or two and. a half years. Thia was a quarter of a century aco. Then he was appointed chief officer in the British India Steam Navigation Company, with whom he- has continually served ever since, the last 16J years being in command. Last March, through tho kindness of his emp" overs, Captain Houghton was enabled to retire. It is interesting lo note that on the Bth of Merch last he completed his 1674 th trip between Rangoon and Mouimom in tne Ramapoora.