His Last Trip

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 477, 5 October 1928, Page 13

His Last Trip

Farewell to White Star Captain BUSINESSMEN'S TRIBUTE His adventurous career of 45 years at sea almost ended. Captain A. Jackson, master of the lonic, presided at a luncheon in his honour, held on the ship to-day. Shipping and business men of the city paid tribute to his sterling service in the mercantile marine. Under the pennant of the White Star Line. Captain Jackson has sailed about 3,700,000 miles and he has had his share of the adventures which come to men of ships. When he was first mate on the Belle of Arvon in 1894 he received his first command through a tragedy. Yellow fever wiped out the captain, the second mate and a dozen hands and Mr. Jackson himself nearly died at Rio. His commands have included the Zealandic, the Bovic, the Cufic, the Swevic and the Arabic. He became master of the lonic five years ago. On the -return of the ship to England he retired to become a marine surveyor at Liverpool. Mr. N. Alfred Nathan was the host and the guests included Sir James Coates, Mr. E. C. Huie, Mr. David Nathan, Mr. Edward Russell, Commander Hewitt, Mr. Henry Horton, Mr. W. Rainger, Mr. Lionel Abraham (Wanganu), Mr. A. W. Perkins, Mr. Elliot Davis, Mr. D. Carter, Mr. J. J. Kingston, Mr. W. H. Easdown, Mr. E. H. King, Mr. John Hellaby, Mr. R. J. Foreman, Mr. A. G. Graham, Captain H. H. Sargeant, Mr. W. Goodfellow, Mr. Norman Heath, Air. R. Smith, Chief Engineer W. Scott, Chief Officer Evans and Purser Kettle. “FAVOURITE CAPTAIN’’ “He is a favourite Captain who has been voyaging for the White Star Line for 30 years,” said the host in proposing the captain’s health. The speaker said that Captain Jackson had brought many of New Zealand’s prominent residents here. He had been able, courteous and efficient in manifold duties. His vigorous mind and body were young to stop work and he was going into a private business. Replying, Captain Jackson said lie appreciated the kindness of the guests in coming to “see him off.’’ In 30 years he had seen vast changes in the Auckland Harbour, and he marvelled at the progress which had been made considering that one third of the small population was non-producing. “The dairy people and the primary producers must have an immensely strenuous time in order to send out 10,000 ton ships fully laden each week,” he said. There was no doubt about the possibilities of this country in which he would always Xake a deep interest. Proposing “Primary Industries,” Air. Abraham, in a humorous speech said that he regarded the married man with a large family as the main primary producer. In 1886, he had arrived in New Zealand by the old lonic. Replying, Air. Goodfellow said that Mr. Grounds would have been a much more fluent speaker on the subject. The White Star and other lines were giving New Zealand the finest coldstorage service in the world. New Zealand was essentially a dairyproducing country and the speaker had prophesied that the production would double in 15 years. The subdivision of large farms was necessary. Other toasts were “The Press,” proposed by Air. N. Heath and replied to by Mr. H. Horton, and the S.S. and A. Co., proposed by Mr. Carter and responded to by Mr. Foreman.