OBITUARY

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27569, 28 January 1955, Page 12

OBITUARY

CAPTAIN G. M. RUXTON Captain George Melville Ruxton, of Sumner, who for 21 years commanded vessels of the Union Steam Ship Company, Ltd., which he served for 34 years, died this week. He was aged 86. Captain Ruxton was born in New Zealand. He went to sea at an early age, sailing with his father, who commanded the topsail schooner Spray and the brigantine Endeavour in the Lyttelton-Hokitika trade. Later, he served an apprenticeship of four years in the barques Lurline and Norman MacLeod, owned by C. W. Turner and Company, of Christchurch. He gained his master’s certificate at Wellington, and entered the service of the Union Steam Ship Company in 1996. Four years later he was appointed chief officer of the first Kini i Captain Ruxton received his firsi appointment to a command on November 19, 1910, when he became the Kaitangata. in which he “*** .been chief officer for some months. the next 21 years he comcompany’s steamers _ __ “orld War I he was master of Kanna, which acted for four years

and a half as a collier for the Commonwealth Navy. The Kanna cruised in Australian and Pacific waters and

Since 1939 Captain Ruxton lived in retirement at Sumner. He is survived by his second wife.