CAPTAIN J. J. CAMERON

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19735, 27 September 1929, Page 17

CAPTAIN J. J. CAMERON

RETIREMENT FROM SEA, • '■R'.-.VC Ot"! OTJ COSS2SPOKTIIKT. j LONDON, August 23. V, hen Captain J. J. Cameron brought i the Kemuera to England at the end of j March he remained ashore for leave, as ; it was intended that he should take out j the Rangitata, one of the new vessels of ! the New Zealand Shipping Company tit j present under construction at the yards j of Messrs John Brow.;, Glasgow. The ; Rangitata is expected to be ready for ; her maiden voyage in November. The i captain's leave was spent pleasantly in : Scotland. In the interval, however, he pondered ; carefully the idea of retirement from ! the sea, and in due course he came to ! the decision to give up work and to be ; free to enjoy life ashore while he has ; health and strength to find pleasure in I leisure. In 1906 Captain Cameron mar- j ried Miss Winifred Whitson, daughter of Mr T. W. Whitson, for o0 years see- j retary to the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. Their home is at Ea rnes, and naturally Mrs Cameron re- | joices at her husban'd's decision to give up his seafaring duties. "I have not bad any great thrills during iny career afloat," said Captain Cameron. "Nothing really exciting has happened in the course of my duties, neither have there been any incidents to cause me regret. "I have carried on conscientiously, and I can etire now with an easy mind. History records instances when a captain has gone on just too long and something untoward has happened on what was intended to be a last voyage that marred a fine record. Thinking things carefully over, I decided to remain ashore, and to enter upon what will be for me quite a totally different life. I live near the R-oehamp-ton links, and, no doubt, I shall enjoy a little golf." Captain Cameron is pretty sure, too, to be seen at functions of New Zealand interest, and so he will lceep up his friendship with people belonging to the Dominion. Record at Sea. Curing his boyhood the prospect of a life afloat had had a fascination for him, though his father would have preferred a medical career. However, in ISSB, Captain Cameron went to sea in Messrs Thomas Law and Company's clipper ships. One was the Zuleika, which, in 18S8, made a trip from Sydney to New Zealand. During six years he served his apprenticeship, was third mate and second mate, and then for a year he was first mate of the Mobile Bay, one of the Bay Line of clipper ships. In 1893 he passed his examination for "extra master' - and received a commission as sub-lieutenant, R.N.lt. He then joined the New Zealand Shipping Company's line of passenger steamships as fourth officer. By 1900 he had received promotion to chief officer. In 1901 he served as lieutenant, R.N.R., for a period of training in H.M.S. Brilliant. In 1906 Captain Cameron waa promoted to command the Rimutaka. Between 1906 and 1919 he commanded the Waimate, Opawa, Ruapehu, and, during the war, the Hororata, which was engaged on transport duties. For ten years (1919-1929) he commanded the Kemuera, one of the most popular passenger liners of the New Zealand Shipping Company's fleet. Captain Cameron iB a member of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, a Younger Brother of Trinity House, and Lieutenant-Commander, Royal Naval Reserve (retired). A popular officer of the New Zealand Shipping Company of so many years' standing, lie will be missed by New Zealand travellers. But all will unite in wishing him health and happiness in his retirement.