Captain H. A. Day, Master of the Northern Steamship Company's “Paeroa,” was born at Hampstead, England, in 1850. He first went to sea in the ship “Golden Fleece,” while she was trading to the Abyssinian coast during the war between England and Abyssinia, and remained in her about twelve months, after which he joined the ship “Mermaid,” commanded by Captain Rose, now of the New Zealand Shipping Company, Wellington. In 1869 Captain Day joined the West India trade, and remained in it till 1871, when he shipped on the barque “Colombo,” engaged in the China coasting trade. He came to New Zealand in 1874, and landed at Wellington, but shortly afterwards went to Melbourne, where he was for about two years chief officer on a vessel in the coasting trade. In 1876 he returned to New Zealand, and traded to various parts of the coast until 1881, when he joined the Northern Company's steamer “Rowena,” as second mate and remained in the service until 1885, when he left to engage in farming. He, however, rejoined the Northern Steamship Company as mate of the “Wellington” in 1889. Since then Captain Day has acted as chief officer on several of the company's steamers, and took command of his present boat in June, 1900. Captain Day is married and has a family of four.