WE'RE GLAD TO KNOW THEM!

NZ Truth, Issue 1187, 30 August 1928, Page 6

WE'RE GLAD TO KNOW THEM!

UQA'LORS ALL" are the Wildmans, of Nelson, who possess a seafaring iJ record that is surely unique. The Wellington-Nelson "ferry" service may. be said to be a Wildman family concern, since Captain W. A. Wildman, senr., is master of the Arahura and Captain W. A. Wildman, junr., master of the Ngaio, Another son of W.A., senr., is serving m the Arahura and a son of W.A., junr., is a seaman on the Richardson steamer, Pakura. Everyone m Nelson, every settler m the coastal districts of that province, and every traveller between "Sleepy Hollow" and the capital city of the Dominion, knows the Wildmans. W.A., senior, is the son of English parents who arrived at Nelson 77 years ago m the Maori. Born m 1852, young Wildman went to sea at the age of fifteen. Six years later he joined v the service of the Anchor Company and has been with them ever since His first command was the little Aorere, on the Hokitika-Greymouth run. When trie Anchor Company took, over the/old Waverley, years ago. Captain W. A. Wildman, senr., was appointed, master and ran her most successfully m the Welling-ton-Patea trade for soNne years. He has had charge of several other Anchor steamers and has been m command of the Arahura practically ever since she was taken over from the Union Company for the NelsonWellington service. Last May W.A.. senr., completed 52 years of continuous service with the Anchor

Captain W.A.W., Line, m itself a wonderful record, Captain W.A.W., senr. and he looks young enough for junr. years more. «. It is 30 years since Captain W. A> Wildman, junr., first joined the service of the Anchor Company as a boy m the old Waverley. He served m several others of the company's steamers and then made a voyage m the Shaw, Savill and Albion ship Lutterworth. Returning to the Anchor Company, he became relieving master on the Kennedy,- and m 1906 was appointed master "of the Waverley. He has had of several other Anchor steamers, including the Alexander, of which his father was master for some years. :' \ ... ■ (■ '■ W.Av junr., .has been master m the Anchor Line for .22 years and for nearly three years has. been m command of the Ngaio. His son has been at sea now for nearly three years, and doubtless m time to come wifl follow father and grandfather m the service of the Anchor Line. "Like father, like son," certainly applies m the case of the Wildman family, the heads of which know Cook Strait better than many Wellingtonians know Lambton Quay. ■■■■:• "1 ■ - .■".'"- .'■■