DEATH OF CAPTAIN BUTT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 701, 29 December 1909, Page 6

DEATH OF CAPTAIN BUTT.

Captain Eichard Groombridge Butt, I one of tho oldest sea captains in N«v' I; Zealand, died at his residence, Ghuzneo: | Street, on Monday last, and tho funeral 1 is to take place at Karori Cemetery this unorning. Deceased, who was 78 years, , j of age, was born in tho Islo of Wight 1 and came out to New Zealand about 55 rears ago. His first ,trip to New Zealand was in tho schooner Lucy Ann, which ho joined at Brisbane: Ho sot* tied in New Zealand, and spent some time trading from Okains Bay to th* south, but subsequently removed to Wellington, whore ho found work on a bal-' last boat which ran to and from Ward Maud. .Later, he in tho Napier, trading up tho West Coast., Deceased was- also, conneotod. with th* paddle-steamer Lyttcltou for a considerable poriod. In this old boat Capteji, Butt conducted salvago operations lasting sis months at tho wreck of the Lastinghain; and as mate of first tho Mohaka and,later' of the Kahu ho saw much exciting l sea service. The captain brought a number of yachts down from Auckland to W©l» lingtoii for regattas, etc, at different times, these including the Bona, Waitangi, and Ngaira- Some years ago h« 6ailed thft yacht'Zarifa'dowk to Lyttolten for her championship regatta, and later was on that boat when she sank in Wellington Harbour. Captain: Butt also did some excellent service as a coastal pilot for several, years, piloting many a strango sailer and steamer up and donn tho ooast. Of late he had been living in retirement, but there were few hotter known skippers in tho Dominion. He leaves a widow, who 16 76 years of age, and a family of six—five sons and one daughter. Three years ago Captain and Mr* Butt celebrated their goldon wedding.