The most popular commander up till 1872 was Captain William Ashby, who made more voyages from London to Auckland than any other skipper. Captain Ashby claimed to have carried more passengers to and from New Zealand than any other commander. None of the passages, either out or Home, could be called records. He considered his passengers, and did everything possible to make them comfortable. At the same time he never exceeded the 100 days from London in the City of Auckland, the average being 92. When Captain Ashby retired from the sea in 1872 he was appointed the first Marine Superintendent in London for the newly-formed New Zealand Shipping Company, and most of the New Zealanders returning to Auckland booked through his agency. After the death of his first wife, who generally travelled with him, he married the widow of Mr. J. N. Crombie, who was one of the leading photographers in Queen Street, Auckland, during the sixties.

Captain Ashby's first trip was in 1858 in the barque Mary Ann. Among the passengers on this occasion was Mr. Robert Froude, who in 1862 married Miss White, daughter of Mr. Henry White, who arrived at Auckland with his wife and family by the ship Westminster in 1842. During 1922 the happy couple celebrated their diamond jubilee at Howick. The following year, in March, 1923, at the ripe age of 85, Mr. Froude passed away. Mrs. Froude is now in her 84th year, and is still residing at Howick. Mr. Henry White the father of Mrs. Froude, assisted in the construction of Pardington's old mill in Karangahape Road; also the old mill in Little Queen Street and the stone foundations of Pitt Street Methodist Church. the Mary Ann sailed from Auckland the same year for London, taking Home the officers and men of the 58th Regiment. Captain Ashby in the following year arrived at Lyttelton from London on August 5, 1859. The ship had a trying experience in the Southern Ocean, where she encountered numerous huge icebergs, several from 500ft to 800ft high and two miles long. When passing through the ice on the 19th July something struck the ship a smart blow under the main chains on the starboard side. On the following morning it was discovered that the copper was dented. It was supposed that the ship had struck some wreckage, as on the previous day the Mary Ann passed a very large spar like a ship's lower mast, with top and rigging. On July 20th the ship passed more wreckage from a ship of about 800 tons. In 1860 this vessel, after discharging at Auckland, made a trip round to the Kaipara,

Captain William Ashby.

being the first large ship to cross the Kaipara Bar, and loaded up with kauri spars for the Admiralty.

Mr. Alfred Jowitt, who was in Auckland at the time, states: "The spars were all choice specimens of kauri, some being of great length, approaching 100ft. The one noticeable thing about the Mary Ann was that she was 'in chains.' She had two heavy cable chains wrapped all around her about the fore and mizzenpage 20 shrouds respectively, "boused taut" and wedged up tight. They were certainly not ornamental, but were calculated to hold the ship and her freight together should rough weather be met. the Mary Ann was no clipper, and the drag of these chains in the water would naturally reduce her speed."

Captain Ashby's next vessel was the Maori, and later he took command of the ship Siam. Mention of this ship recalls stirring times, as in 1866, when the British troops were withdrawn, she was chartered while in Auckland to take some of the 14th Regiment across to Hobart Town.

Captain Ashby left the Siam to superintend the building of the ship City of Auckland, which was specially built for

The City Of Auckland

the London-Auckland trade. She was a composite vessel, having iron framing, sheathed with 5½ inch teak, copper fastened throughout. She was specially finely fitted up. On a scroll at the break of the poop were carved the lines by Campbell:

"Her path is o'er the mountain wave,

Her home is on the deep."

The "City" arrived in Auckland on her maiden voyage on January 29, 1870, and the reception given her and her popular commander was typical of the way Auckland received her favourite skipper.

An interesting fact connected with the ship's arrival in Auckland on December 11, 1870 (her second trip), was the appearance of the name W. F. Massey on the passenger list, our present Premier being then a young man direct from the North of Ireland.