OBITUARY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 118, 21 May 1932, Page 5

OBITUARY

OAPTAIN JOHN BONE. A WELL-KNOWN MARINER. The death occurred in Christchurch on Wednesday morning of Captain John Bone, who for 50 years was in the employ of the New Zealand Shipping Company and was New Zealand marine superintendent for the company for 26 years until ho retired in 1924. Captain Bone joined the company in 1874 as third mate of the sailing ship Waikato. After passing through the grades of second and first officer he was appointed to command the ship Rakaia in 1880. Three years later the company decided to go into steam, and Captain Bono was the Hirst officer selected from its staff to gain experience in vessels propelled by the new power. Ho was appointed to tho White Star liner lonic, which was under the command of Captain, When the company’s first, steamer, the Tongariro, was commissUraed Captai.i Bono wa transferred to her as chief officer, and he became master in 1884, being tLj first of the company’s trained officer., to bo given command of both sail and steam.

Captain Bone made 26 voyages in the Tongariro, and a further 18 in the Ruahine. This vessel he commanded until 1898, when he was appointed marine superintendent for the company in New Zealand, with headquarters first in Christchurch and later in Wellington. On his retirement in 1924 a banquet was held in his honour at Wellington on board the Remuera, and among the guests were the Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe, and the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey. In proposing Captain Bone’s health Mr. Massey recalled that he had made his first voyage to New Zealand as a lad 54 years earlier in the ship City of Auckland, in which Captain Bone was an apprentice, and they had been friends ever since. Altogether, in sail and steam, Captain Bono made 52 voyages to New Zealand, and when he retired from the sea this was believed to be a record.

Captain Bone, who <ras a widower, loaves a son, Mr. A. Bone, and a daughter, Miss Dorothy Bone, who is a member of the staff of the Christchurch Girls’ High School. There is one grandchild.