VETERAN SKIPPER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 237, 6 October 1928, Page 10

VETERAN SKIPPER.

lONIC CAPTAIN'S FAREWELL HAPPY MEMORIES OF ~' AUCKLAND. PROGRESS OP THE PROVINCE. After 45 years at sea, and 30 years in the. service of the White Star Line, Captain A. E. Jackson, commanding officer, of the lonic, will retire when hit reaches England at the end of her present voyage. Captain Jackson was ;the guest of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company at a complimentary luncheon on board ship yesterday. The esteem in which he is.held in maritime and commercial circles was evidenced by the,/: representative character of the gathering. Mr. Alfred Nathan presided, and /those present included Sir James Coates, Commander Hewitt,-R.N., Mr. D. Nathan, Mr. Eliot Davis, Mr. E. Russell, Mr. L. A. Abraham, Mr.' A. W. Perkins, Mr. W. J. Rainger, Mr. H. Horton, Mr. E. Russell, Mr. J. J. Kingston; Mr. J. Hellaby, Mr. W. H. Easdown, Mr. -E. H. King, Captain H. H. Sergeant (harbourmaster of Auckland), Mr. W. Goodfeliow, Mr. W. Heath, Mr. R. Smith, Dr. Harries, Mr. R. J. Foreman, and others. ■'- "■' .

Responding to the toast of his health, which was by the chairman, Captain Jackson said it was with great regret" that he --was saying farewell to his.-•many friends in Auckland. He had seen many changes in the city since he it, 30 years ago, and he had often marvelled at the fact that a country with such a i small population could send awajv such a tremendous amduiit of produce. He remembered the time.when, ships went out of port halfladen, whereas nowadays one or two ships; left every week, each carrying about 10,000 tons of dairy and farm produce;,' He was saying good-bye to. New Zealand, and he might never be able- to return, .but he would always watch.the country's progress with interest, and lie would always have the happiest recollections of the. time- he had spent in the Dominion. ■.

The; toast, "Primary Industries," was proposed by Mr. Abraham, and responded to by Mr. W. Goodfeliow, who spoke in terms of the highest praiseof the cold storage system provided in the ships of the Shaw,'Savill and Albion line. This; excellent system, he said, was a most important factor in fostering the primary industries of New Zealand. Great progress had been made, and he confidently anticipated that within 15 years the production of the Auckland

province would be doubled. An essential step in increasing dairy output was the subdivision of existing large holdings. There were many properties which, if divided into 50-acre farms, would be valuable and profitable investments. Other speakers included Mr. D. Carter, Aucklandmanager of the Union Steamship Company, and Mr. W. Foreman, of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company.