CAPTAIN HARVEY RETIRES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1948, 6 March 1919, Page 3

CAPTAIN HARVEY RETIRES.

One of the oldest and best-known skippers on the New Zealand coast, Captain E. J. Harvey, ol: the Queen of the South, is retiring from active service after having spent some 58 years at sea. Captain Harvey was horn in Essex, England, in 1847, and began his seafaring life at the age of 14 years, serving an apprenticeship. He afterwards travelled in' various parts of the world. Coming to Wellington in the ship England in 1871, he joined the Rangaiira as second mate, and three years later transferred to the Manawatu as first mate, twelve months a tierwards being given command of (hat vessel. He was captain of the Manawatu for six years, when he took charge of his former steamer the Kangatira, which was lost near Taranaki while in charge of the first mate. A few months later Captain Harvey joined Mr E. Greenwood, an engineer, and purchased the Sampson, of which vessel he was captain for some twelve months, when she was wrecked. The partners’ next purchase was the paddle steamer Hauraki, which they converted into a. screw steamer, and resumed trading on the coast. About three year* later this vessel sprang a leak and sank. In neither of these misfortunes were any lives lost. In 1883 Captain Harvey joined the firm of Levin & Co., W ellington, as captain of the Napier, hut as this vessel was not large enough for Ihe trade, lie went to Sydney in 1889 and purchased the Queen of the South, in which vessel he is part owner with Messrs Levin and Co. and Mr William Signal. He has been in command of the Queen of the South since that time, bnt was for a few months relieving on the Himitangi when she was run by Levin and Co. Captain Harvey’s sterling qualities as a seaman has brought him into prominence in many parts of New Zealand, and his departure from the ranks of the coastal traders will be regretted by many old friends who, at the same time, will congratulate him on the rest he has so well earned. —Post.