MARINER RETIRES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 87, 7 January 1935, Page 8

MARINER RETIRES

Captain John Benton

After 45 years at sea, Captain John Benton, master of the Union Company’s Kalingo, which arrived at Wellington yesterday from Melbourne via Auckland, has retired from the Company’s service.

In ISSO Captain Benton first went to sea in the schooner Olive, in the Island trade. At Apia the crew left the vessell to take part in the first Maliatoa war, and the schooner was delayed until the dispute was settled. From sailing in the schooner Christine lie joined the Southern Cross. Later, as one of the crew of the three-masted schooner Jessie. Captain Benton was forced to abandon the vessel in a hurricane. By the time the wind had blown itself out, their ship had broken lier cable, and they had to row to Noumea, 300 miles away. The Indiana, which was lost on Barren Island, Banks Strait, was his next ship. After spending a week on the island when the ship was lost, be set out with the rest of the crew for Launceston in a small boat, and they were picked up by the barque Alastor, which was also blown to sea, an(j it was two weeks before the vessel reached Tasmania.

Tn 1907 Captain Benton was appointed master of the Union Company’s Squall, and he also commanded the Corinna, the Manaponri, the Hauroto and the Haupiri. He resigned from the company in 1910 to take command of the Inga, which was the first steamer owned by R. S. Lamb and Company, Limited, and J. J. Craig. Limited. Captain Benton went to England in 1911 to supervise the building of the Ihumata for the same company. After bringing the vessel out to Australia he resigned from the company in 1914 to take up the position of harbourmaster at Gisborne, H e left this position to take command of the Omana, where he remained for 14 years. He then joined the Kalingo. which was taken over with the remaining Lamb steamers by the Union Steamship Company in 193(1, and he held this position until his retirement.