Marama's Master

NZ Truth, Issue 1175, 7 June 1928, Page 6

Marama's Master

TTHIS seems to be the era for juggling 1 with phraseology, so let us scrape

the moss from, the old laudatory term:' "The salt of the earth," and somersault it round to "The salt of the sea."

Par more appropriate and applicable it is now to the person of Captain Thomas B. Sewell, of the "S.S. Marama." ' ' ■ •

"It is the sea . . .m. all its immensity," said Longf ellow, and the words aptly describe the environment which makes seafarers what, they are — what Skipper Sewell is: big-hearted, robust, cheerful, and serene-tempered master of the main. . '

In stature and features, T.B.S. is just what one would expect to meet m the chart-room : or peering over . the weather-sheets of an ocean liner.

Graduating from the hard school of windjammers*; Tom went .into Union Company steamers 'm 1906. After tramping the bridges' of numerous vessels, he took the second officer's cabin on the Atua and then the T'ofua.

A spell ashore stevedoring for three years saw his sea-kit packed again m turn for the gangways of the Whangapai, the Monowai and others.

The East Coast trade knew the skipper's smile; later the WelllngtbnPictonnWestport run.

After several years relieving commands on. the ferry service between Wellington ; and Lyttelton,' Captain Sewell's gold braid took him where he is to-day— traversing the Tasman on the bridge of the graceful Marama,