Captain Rose, who made the fast passage to Lyttelton in the Merope in 1871, commenced his career in the New Zealand trade by bringing out the ship Mermaid, of the white Star line to Auckland in 1861. This was his second voyage as Commander. He continued to run the Mermaid to Lyttelton until 1869, When he arrived Home the white Star Company was in difficulties. Captain Rose was then offered, and accepted, the command of the Merope (Shaw Savill Line). He made three voyages in this ship, and then joined the New Zealand Shipping Company, in which he purchased an interest and brought out their first new ship Rakaia, sailing from London early in the year 1874 and arriving at Lyttelton on April 25th. When he got back to London the company's Waimate was ready, and he took command of her for the voyage to Lyttelton arriving there on January 25th, 1875, thus completing two passages in a little over twelve months. Making a fast run home he sailed from Londan again and was back at Lyttelton on the Waikato in October, 1875. While in the colony Captain Rose was offered and accepted the position of Marine Superintendent for the company. At a dinner aboard the Waimate to celebrate his retirement, Dr. Donald the health officer at Lyttelton for many years, said he had been looking over the records and found that during the many years Captain Rose had commanded ship in the Canterbury trade he had brought out a greater number of passengers to Lyttelton than any other captain, and with less sickness and fewer deaths.