CAPTAIN BONE RETIRES

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 83, 31 December 1924, Page 8

CAPTAIN BONE RETIRES

AFTER FIFTY YEARS’ SERVICE After fifty years in the New Zealand Shipping Co.’s service, Captain J. Bone, marine superintendent for New Zealand, will retire to-day. Captain Bone was born near Penzance, Cornwall, and first went to sea as a boy in a small craft owned by his uncle. His first trip to New Zealand was in 1870 as an apprentice in the City of Auckland, which was under charter to the Shaw, Savill Company. The vessel was under command of the late Captain William Ashby, who was subsequently appointed the first marine superintendent for the New Zealand Shipping Co. shortly after- its formation. Captain Bone’s first command was the New Zealand Shipping Co.’s full-rigged sailing shin Rakaia, which he took charge of in 1880. In order to gain steam experience, he was appointed second officer of the old chartered steamer lonic until the. New' Zealand Shipping Co. had their own steamers built. Then he went as chief officer of the Tongariro, the company’s first steamer, and after the third round trip he was given command of the vessel and made tiventysix round voyages as master of her. Afterwards Captain Bone was appointed master of the company’s first Ruahine, which was the leading liner of the company’s fleet. At the end of December, 1898, Captain Bone was appointed the company’s marine superintendent fo> - New Zealand. He will leave Wellington shortly on a trip to England, but will return/to settle 'in ’Wellington. Captain Bone will lie succeeded bv Captain Wrbrants 01phert. D. 5.0., D.S.C., R.D., R.N.R., who is assistant marine superintendent.