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Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 6, 13 August 1874, Page 3

To the Editor of the Clittha Leader. Sir, — -My attention has to-day been called to the subleader fn your issue of the 6th inst. You say that I put on the Lady of the Lake agiihst the Harb6r Co.'s boats, and caused them to reduce rates to an unremunerative figure, and after having run their boats off, I at once raised the rates from 15s to 25s per ton. I have done more to provide steam , services for the Molyneux during the last six or seVen years than any other man in Otago. When there was no outside steamer, I ran the Storm Bird there. Subsequently I chartered the Tairoa, and resumed the service ; she was lost on the baf.. When I had no outside scanner suitable for the work, I induced Mr. Mills, of the HarW Co., to take up the service, and to tbe last day of . their connection with it I gave them every ; aid p. id assistance in my power. The Pretty Jane had not been paying, and. was sold, leaving the Molyneuaf again without a service. Then, and not until then, I put . the Lady of the Lake on the line, running her to Kaitangata, and connectitig with the Ferry by drays until the Tuapeka was . repaired, when I purchased her, to prevent ,her being taken off the liver and converted into a sawmill,. as waß intended. Regarding what you politely call my " questionable trick "of reisibg rated' of ireight from ! 15s to 25s per ton, this is a misstatement. I raised the rates enty 5s per ton all round, and not 10s per ton, and this rise wais fully warranted hy the fact that previous rates did not {Say, and that the working expenses of stsamers had increased fully 30 per cent. I may also State that this rise in ; rates was contemplated by the Harbor Co. long before I made it, and would have j been made by them had they continued to work the service. ! You next go oh to string together a number of charges^ which are in effect that "I, being a purchaser of agricultural produce on commission, have my own purchases promptly removed while other people's goods are left to rot and be destroyed by vermin, etc. I have not this year purchased any Molyneux prod uce, neither have I any intention of doing so. My friends in the. Molyneux district— who, I am happy to day, ate very numerous—*" have consigned many thousands of pounds worth of their produce to me for sale on commission ;• but I can* most solemnly de-

t clare that I fiever, either this year or any 1 previous year, either by word or by, letter, K gave any instruction to any commander or agent that goods consigned to me should ' haive precedence over any other goods in the matter of despatch. .That the service has hot been equal to ' the strain put upon it this year, I freely 1 admit; but while deeply . regretting that i any valuable produce should have taken : damage by exposure oh the river -bank, still . I can aot charge . myself with any. blame ,in ; the matter. Before the Harbor Company i so unexpectedly deserted the Molyneux, I had entered into a written' contract with the agent. of Messrs. Bfogden and Sons, to i carry wit-Si the Lady of the Like ai ; large , quantity of tonnage up the Taieri River, i consequently her whole time could not be i given to the Molyneux- At my urgent i solicitation Messrs. HaugHton, and Co. I kindly^ lent riia the \v"allabi ioi two or vhree trips, although much overtaxed with their own as indeed are alll the services both north and south. .If farmers will cart grain id, the river bank and leave it unprotected, I cannot help that. To aid the shed accommodation at the three river agencies, I have Supplied sails and tarpaulins. Messrs Stewart and Gow, whose shipments both up and down are about as large as all the , rest of the cargo put together, have been I believe the heaviest sufferers by damage to produce, and yet those gentlemen knowing ;that I was doing my best have made no querulous complaints, and never once hinted that their goods should have precedence over any other. In" conclusion', Sir, I. beg to assure you and my friends in .the Clutha District that I am sparing no effort to get their produce carried as speedily as possible. It is as much my intersst as theirs to expedite the carrying-;. All our outports are in tne same condition as themselves, but when I can possibly get another steamer to help me I shall get her.-— I am, &c, G. P. Reid.