CAPTAIN WILDMAN RETIRES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3987, 22 August 1929, Page 2

CAPTAIN WILDMAN RETIRES.

/AFTER 61 YEARS OF COASTAL

SERVICE.

One of the -best known of New Zealand’s coastal skippers and one who has crossed iCook .Strait at least 8000 times in all probability, Captain William Arthur Wildman, after 61 years at sea is now entering upon his long last shore leave. Last week he tendered -his resignation to the Anchor Shipping Company, in whose service he has been for well over 50 years. He started off in 1868 as a lad of 15 years on the cutter Planet. The other vessels he served on were the schooner Alert, Kaituna, Luna, Florence. In 1875 he joined the Anchor Shipping Company as an A.B. -aboard the Lyttelton. He later became second mate of the Aim-ray and later the Charles Edward. He then shipped on the Kennedy for four years as mate. Captain Wildman urns given his first command in 1890, when the Anchor Company purchased the Aorere.

He was captain of the (Charles Edward, Waverley, and Kennedy (four years), before he took over the Alexander (303 tons) on her arrival from England in 1903. He was in charge gf the Waimea in 1909, and before joining the Ivaitoa in 191 b, had two years on the Koi, which ran to Bay ports. After handling the Ivaitoa from 1916 to 1921, Captain Wildman had charge of the Ngaio (the old Afapourika of the Union Company), and then he took the Arahura. After three and a half years on the Arahura, Captain Wildman finished his last month of active service as captain of the Matangi.

MEN ALAY COAtE AND AIEN ALIY GO.

“I’ve seen plenty Anchor skippers go to their long hom'es,” remarked Captain Wildman. “Captains Whit well, Palmer, Creagh, Quance, M‘Arthur, Dillon, Williams, Conway, Scott, Bruce and Furneaux.” The captain added that he had seen the Anchor Company grow from an office on the wharf to the present palatial buildings, and from four ships to the present eleven, with one under charter. He remembered the wrecks of the Lyttelton on the Beef Barrel (French Pass), the Charles Edward on the Wanganui bar, and the Wallace on the Grey bar. The Kennedy’s end came recently, and she now forms part of a breakwater at Blenheim.