LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD TOWING LICENSES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9300, 30 December 1895, Page 6

LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD TOWING LICENSES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir,—ln your report of the meeting of the above Harbour Board, held yesterday, you state that we applied to have licenses to tow vessels of equal tonnage to the Harbour Board's tug issued to the steamers for which we act as agents. Below is a copy of our letter to the Board, which we shall be pleaeed if you will publish and ob ige— Yours, &c, Pitcaithly, Wallace and Co. Christchucch, December 27th, 1895. [Oopsr.] The Secretary and Members Lyttelton Harbour Board, Christchurch. Deak Sirs,—We are in receipt of notification of the cancellation of a towing license paid for by us up till the end of December for steamer John Anderson. The proceeding is most unwarrantable, and we are surprised at a body of men such as constitute the Lyttelton Harbour Board acting in so unfair a spirit. " There are two sides to every question, and we think if the Master, or ourselves, as agents, had been asked to give an explanation of the alleged infringements the cancellation of the license would not have had your sanction." We have applied thiough the harbour master for licenses for the year 1896, and trust you will issue them on the basis of the weight and horse-power of the respective boats in comparison with your owa tug capable of towing up to 5000 tons. We understand that for two year 3it has been your practice to issue licenses certifying that vessels of 150 tons capacity and under only could be towed whether the steamer applying for the license was one or 100 horse-power. We have no desire to unduly interfere with towage business, but think that if our steamers pick up a vessel off Le Bone or other Bays, aud tow ihem to within three miles of the Heads they are quite capable of finishing a contract and towing them into the outer harbour. As ships are not bonnd to take your tug, but can if they wish sail up the harbour, we see no sound reason tor the endorsement of tonnage on license at ail, as the master who ie foolish enough to endanger his ship by taking a bad tug would soon jeopardise his position, and the insurance companies refuse similar risks. —Yours, &c, Pitcaithly, Wallace and Co.

[Oopr.] The Secretary and Members Lyttelton Harbour Board, Christchurch. Deak Sirs, —We are in receipt of notification of the cancellation of a towing license paid for by us up till the end of December for steamer John Anderson. The proceeding is most unwarrantable, and we are surprised at a body of men such as constitute the Lyttelton Harbour Board acting in so unfair a spirit. " There are two aides to every question, and we think if the Master, or ourselves, as agents, had been asked to give an explanation of the alleged infringements the cancellation of the license would not have had your sanction." We have applied thiough the harbour master for licenses for the year 1896, and trust you will issue them on the basis of the weight and horse-power of the respective boats in comparison with your owa tug capable of towing up to 5000 tons. We understand that for two year 3it has been your practice to issue licenses certifying that vessels of 150 tons capacity and under only could be towed whether the steamer applying for the license was one or 100 horse-power. We have no desire to unduly interfere with towage business, but think that if our steamers pick up a vessel off Le Bone or other Bays, aud tow them to within three miles of the Heads they are quite capable of finishing a contract) and towing them into the outer harbour. Aa ships are not bonnd lo take your tug, but can if they wish sail up the harbour, we see no sound reason tor the endorsement of tonnage on license at ail, aa the master who is foolish enough to endanger his ship by taking a bad tug would soon jeopardise his positiou, and the insurance companies refuse similar risks. —Yours, &c, Pitcaithly, Wallace and Co.