A PIONEER SEAFARER

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 105, 27 January 1933, Page 9

A PIONEER SEAFARER

Death of Capt. G. McKenzie EARLY SAILING SHIP DAYS The death occurred in a private hospital at Auckland on Tuesday of Captain George McKenzie, of King Edward Parade, Devonport, a pioneer seafarer in New Zealand waters and well known in the seaports of the Dominion and Australia. Captain McKenzie, whose name is most frequently associated with the schooner Hula, left the sea about 30 years ago and joined the late Captain James Smith as a partner in the firm of James Smith and Company, Limited, coal merchants and shipping agents, of which firm he was managing director at the time of his death. Captain McKenzie was born at Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, his father, the late Captain Kenneth McKenzie, being a member of an old seafaring family. In 1856 the family, with a number of other families, arrived at Auckland in the ship Spray, which was built by Captain McKenzie’s father and uncle, who also made the sails for the vessel. Adopting the sea as a calling, Captain McKenzie served in many of the old and well-known sailing ships trading between New Zealand and Australia, and also saw a great deal of service in the ships which carried grain and other produce from Australia to England. Among the vessels with which he ws associated were the City of Aberdeen, which was the first fullrigged ship in which he served, the Three Cheers, Patriarch, Presto, Gryfe, Anthons and Vivid. He was master of the four last-named vessels for a number of years, having left the Patriarch to sit for his master’s certificate. Captain McKenzie was master of the Vivid when he left her in Sydney to return to New Zealand and supervise the building of the schooner Huia for Mitchelson Brothers. While the Huia was being built he insisted upon the right to select the timber, and took command as master when the vessel was completed. Subsequently he became part owner of the Huia, and then owner. The vessel ran for many years under his command from Kaipara to other New Zealand ports and Australia. He then sold her to the Nobel Explosives Company and entered commercial life on shore. During Captain McKenzie’s time at sea the vessels under his command established a number of records for fast voyages. When the Elingamite was wrecked on the Three Kings, on her voyage from Sydney to Auckland, on November 9, 1902, he took part in the search for survivors. He took an interest in yachting after relinquishing active life at sea, being the owner of the vacht lorangi. He also owned the launch Huia. With other yachtsmen lie took part in the search for Count von Luckner after the latter escaped from Motuihi Island in 1917. He is survived by Mrs. McKenzie, who is a daughter of tho late Captain James Ruxton, of Lyttelton.