OFFICERS APPOINTED

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 60, 4 December 1937, Page 13

OFFICERS APPOINTED

New Union Company Motor-Ship Wanaka

CAPTAIN A. T. ADAM MASTER

Tlie head office of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, Limited, announces that Captain A. T. Adam has been appointed to the command of their new motor-ship Wanaka. His senior officers will be: Chief, Mr. A. W. Babbitts; chief engineer, Mr. A. A. Mclntyre; second, Mr. A. Crumbley. The Wanaka, a motorship of 2370 tons gross register, is now being built by Alexander Stephen and .Soil, Linthouse, Glasgow, and is to leave the United Kingdom about the end of February on her maiden voyage to New Zealand.

Captain Adam was born at Beaufort, Victoria, on September 19, 1592, and at the age of 16 years began four years’ apprenticeship in the Union Company’s training ship Dartford, joining the service of the company as fourth officer of the Warrimoo on January 22, 1913. He was later attached in that capacity to the Moeraki and Manuka, and was serving as third officer of the old Wai-

nui when he resigned on November 25, 1913, to go second mate of Charles Jacobs and Son’s barque C.J.S., engaged in the Melbourne-Mauritius trade. He rejoined the Union Company’s service on July 3, 1916, as third officer of the Wairuna, and, after serving in various ships, was appointed second officer of the Corinna in November, 1919, later transferring to the Faloona, where he remained for about three years. Promoted chief officer of the Oonah in February, 1923, he served in that vessel and the Loongana, both in the Mel-bourne-Launceston express service, for the next four years, and after a period in the Kekerangu in the Bisdon-Port Pirie trade, he was transferred to the Moeraki in the Wellington-South Island-Melbourne service and was later attached to the Manuka and Maheno in the same run. He was transferred to the Marama in the Sydney service in June, 1931, and later to the Makura and Maunganui in the San Francisco service. Captain Adam was appointed master in January, 1935, his first command being the Kowhai, since when he has commanded the Kakariki, Kini, Wollongbar and Ngakuta. Mr. Babbitts, the chief officer of the new vessel, was born at Sydney, New South Wales, on August 4, 1903, and served his time as seaman in various steamers before joining the service of the Union Company on July 8, 1924, as fourth officer of the Maheno. In August following he was appointed third officer of the Kamo, and later served in that rank in the Navua, Kaikorai and Wairuna. He was promoted second officer of the Kakariki in September, 1926, and during the next 10 years he served in that capacity in several of the company’s vessels, including Ngakuta, Koranui, Ngatoro, Poolta, Kiwitea, Talune, Haurakl, and Maunganui. Appointed chief officer of the Kakariki in November, 1936, he has since served in the Kowhai, Ngatoro, Ngakuta, Koranui, Talune and Kiwitea. Mr. Mclntyre, the chief engineer of the Wanaka, served his apprenticeship on the Clyde in. Scotland, and, after some sea service in the Donaldson Line and the Scottish Shire Line, was appoitned a junior engineer of the R.M.M.S. Aorangl on the maiden voyage of that vessel in December, 1924. He remained in the Aorangl until May, 1936, having worked his way up to the position of second engineer. He then proceeded to Great Britain to supervise the engine department of the m.v. Waiana, and was appointed chief engineer of that vessel on the maiden voyage.

Mr. Crumbley, the second engineer, served his apprenticeship with the North-Eastern Marine Engineering Co., and, after some years of experience both ashore and afloat, joined the Union Company in July, 1925, as second engineer of the s.s. Waipahi on the maiden voyage of fiat vessel. He has since served in mflny of the company’s vessels, and was recently successful in obtaining a Diesel endorsement of his gteam certificate.