Farewell To The

Sea

Captain Henry Low, of Fiji, Retires

WHEN the MV “Tui Cakau” returned to Suva yesterday from Lautoka she was brought alongside the wharf by Captain Henry John Low for the last time (said the “Fiji Times”, on November 1) Captain Low, 48 of whose 66 years have been spent sailing the seas, has retired and will henceforward live ashore.

Henry Low was born on Taveuni in 1874, his father, Mr. Charles Wallace Low, being in charge of a large cotton plantation there. Later Mr. C. W. Low entered into partnership with Hennings Bros., in the Lau Group; and then he settled in Levuka, at that time the capital of Fiji and a thriving mercantile and shipping town. But Levuka’s ex> citements were not sufficient for young Henry so, in 1892, he shipped as mate on the ketch “Alice” (J. C. Smith &' Co.) trading between Levuka, Ba. Lautoka and Labasa. After some years in this trade, he then served two years before the mast in the “Rotuma”, a sailing vessel belonging to Captain Kaad and trading between Fiji and Rotuma, the is lands of Wallis and Futuna, and Sydney.

Returning to Fiji, he took command of the CSR Co.’s “Marama” and spent nine years with the comnany, as master of this vessel and later of the “Rani”.

In 1910, Captain Low joined the South Pacific Lumber Co. as master of the schooner “Confianza”. After four years in the lumber trade, he formed an asso ciation which was to last for 26 years, for in 1914 he was given command of the Fiji Shipping Co.’s “Adi Keva”. Under this firm and later under Morris, Hed strom, Ltd., which took over the Fiji Shipping Co.’s fleet, Captain Low has been master of the old “Adi Keva”, her successor the new “Adi Keva”, the “Sir John Forrest”, the “Adi Rewa”, and lastly the “Tui Cakau”.

During the past 40 years Captain Low gained a knowledge of the seas, reefs, islands and waterways of Fiji which probably exceeds that of any other one man. There are few islands in the Group which do not know the sturdy figure and stentorian voice of Henry Low. The sea men who have passed through his hands and have been trained by him must be numbered by the hundred. He has prob ably done favours and executed com missions for every trader and plantation owner in the remoter islands.

Captain Low retires with a proud re cord —Fiji waters are notoriously narrow and dangerous, but in his 35 years as master of interinsular craft he never has lost a ship. Another source of gratifica tion which perhaps tempers his inevitable regret at leaving the sea is that he has handed over command of the “Tui Cakau” not to a stranger, but to his own son, Mr. D. L. Low.

Mrs. Wat! Vuni Harris, relict of the late Mr. John Harris, died recently at Levuka, Fiji, aged 80 years. She was buried at Rukuruku, Ovalau, where she spent the greater part of her life.

Mr. R. F. Pickering, manager in Fiji for the Bank of NSW, has been trans ferred to Townsville, Queensland, on promotion, and will leave the Colony this month. His successor is Mr. T.

Bryce.

Mr. Parkin Christian, of Pitcairn Is land, paid a visit to New Zealand re cently to undergo an operation.