A POPULAR SKIPPER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13394, 30 May 1914, Page 4

A POPULAR SKIPPER.

OAPTAtN SftlNNKIi ABOUT. TO >. EETTRJE.

Perhaps there is not a better known \ figure and a more respected man tin and out' of -shipping circles in Gisborne and on, the J?ast Coast than. Captain W. H. Skinner, who for .the past 35 'y^a*" 3 has been ft regular trader .in odmmajid ■'"of coastal vessels: working, cargo at oilports betv^eenf^isborne^and- Auckland. Captain, JSkinner, ..who is at precept master and owner of the-auxiliary schooner Ka-eo, is about ".to., retire from the seafaring ' life, : and &6 : devote /his -time • ; to looking after his interests on the Coast . And in Auckland. 1 ,v,- .. ' Captain Skinner is a native of Taranaki, having l»eeh-J)orn at- the mission station, at- New:. Plymouth- a. little, .oy.er x 60 year*, .ago. , Captain. Skinner , took !up a seafaring .vocation at an early period of Iris life, and at the age of 23 years he • obtained his - first .-■ command, the. vessel? being, the .sailer . Ebeneza, which, .jtradedfj. fvonir Auckland ,to .the j}ay of Islands and the miiny ports * in that locality. He had charge of Beveral other vessels, and for a > short time sail: ' ed th« Minnehave jiv the Auckland-. Napier trade,' . , About V3s years ago" / 'he entered ..this Auckliind-Grifiborne /and Caastal trade. ' Hi* first vesseKin this trade was the- Minnehare, then follow' «'d the Fleetwing, > tlie.'Minn.ehare again, 4,he Gisborne, Awairai, . Aofcea, and Kaeo. The Aotea, ' which!; was wrecked , gome years ago at Waipiro Bay,, was the first sailing vessel, on the New Zealand coast to be equipped with: a motor engine. " Ijv.factj ..when the engine was installed ' in' this vessel, the 'motor Jaunch, which is now to, extensively • used, had not made its ; appearance. Captain Skinner has seen the Auckland,' fiisborne and the- Coast, develop •greatly f° r when- he 'first started in the coastal tirade . Gisbbriiq and ■ :the ,<m*«y Bast" Coast bays, where cargo is now landed w«re practically in their ; ,ui'N fancy a* .-far ,«« -development was concerned, j The genial, skipper has made many Mends, who are scattered all over New Zealand, and although he has many summers over his head, he. is «t4ll an active man, leading a busy life. <CaptW Skinner goes North with the Kaeo SM then relinquishes his command to.=OaptaJn ! -.Lw\P«w?»9 at present is in qommaftdsof another of his coastal vessels,, the a.s. Qrete.