THE NEW DESPATCH BOAT.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2040, 21 August 1906, Page 3

THE NEW DESPATCH BOAT.

The following alterations will depend on arrangements heing mado for conveying moils from points 011 th> steamer's daily route to ihu localities named:

MAIL SERVICES AND TIME TABLE* At the meeying of the Clntlni .Kiver Hoard imi Friday (lie question of mail contracts and was considered in eon motion with the new despatch boat and otherwise. Mr Stewart said that after last meeting he called at the Dunedin post office and had' awn the chief clerk, Mr Dull. The Department was about to call for tenders for new mail -contracts which would commence at Now Year. Mr Dull told him what tho contracts were. He said lie would be glao il the settlers would approve of the proposed services, and if they wanted them to send in a petition. Mr Stewart said he had also met the Minister of bands on the matter, and a deputation waited upon the Minister also. Mr Stewart read over his suggestions 'made to the Minister,—

lie had asked the Minister what subsidy tin l Postal Department would give tin' Hoard for (I) first, lot of services, and (2) for the second lot of services in addition. Tilt■ Board required lo lix up a time table at once, otherwise they would lo.se tile thing for three years. His own opinion was they .coul I trust the boat to do the work, and that they should fix up a time table, tell tin' Department what we can do, and see what t'loy will give as for it. Mr agreed, and said that even if the steamer was a failure it would be easy to yet Someone to take it up. Mr Stewart said his idea was that the service should embrace the whole of the river front I'ort M.olyneux lo 'I uapeka Mouth. His original idea was that the hip lioal should be laid aside in the slack season. He thought they should not keep two staffs and the two boats runniiiff daily. He thought the present hands could run the two boats, the launch to run cm Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the Clyde on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The men ni >i required on the launch ti> be employed loading and uuloadino- the Clyde on .Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The Chairman did not think it possible for one set of men to run both boats, Mr Stewart thought if tie big boat went tlnve days and the despatch boat three days it would meet ull rrquirenient*. The ( linlmmn : Don't you think it would lie better to start with two crews even if we find we can't keep it up ? .Mr Stewart : If we give a fast, service three days a week only it would save the expense of oil and another set of men. The Chairman : What about the people up-river we have promised to brino down every day and take up in three hours '!

Mr Si,'\vaii : It we (1,, thai three days a week it should suit them.They could arrange for the fast lioat if they liked. In any case it only amounts to an hour or and hour and ahalf longer on tile big l>oat if (he oil launc'i doesn't suit them. .Mr Mi-u-u" sai( l his idea was thai the hie; boat should lie free to go whenever there was work for her, without any titne-table. By running, her to a time-table it nu'cKiis she has to stick to it and o'o empty sometimes.

Mr Mitchell : Make a time-table for the launch in the meantime, and if we find after that- we can run two boats good and well. The Chairman ; Wo should run the two boats under separate systems for the first six months at nnyrate. Wo must run regularly if we are t" build up a passenger frame. Mr Stewart : If we are to run the thing- economically we must make some sacrifices. To run both boats every day would be heavy expense. He, would move thai they meet ihat day fortnight to fix up a time table, and he would also firing forward an estimate of the difference, in expense between running- both boats daily, and running on the system ho suggested. The Chairman : You must abandon your idea. It won't suit, this topsyturvy business. T won't waste time discussing it. It must be to fix up a timetable for the despatch boat. After further across-the-table talk 51 r Stewart, moved—*' That a meeting of the Board be. held on 31st inst to prepare l time-table for despatch boat."—Seconded by Mr Begg and carried. Tho Chairman moved a hearty vole of thanks to Mr Stewart for his nolion in interviewing the Minister of bands with a view to obtaining mail contracts, and that the Board approves of his .—Seconded by Mr Mitchell and carried.

EXISTING PROPOSE 1) SERVICE. SERVICE. Rongahere—Monday Daily by steamer and Friday and viihielo. Greenfield — Mo ml ivy, Daily by Stoamer. Wednesday, Friday! do do. Clydovale — Monday, Wednesday, Friday. do do. Bosk's Station—Nil. do do. Whitelea—Nil. do do.

EXISTING PROPOSED SERVICE. SERVICE. Tuapeka Mouth—Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Daily bv Steamer. Taumata — Monday, Wednesday, Friday. do do. Pukepito — M"iid;iy, Wednesday, Friday. do do Blackburn ir'ettlemont -Nil. do do. Port Molyneux—Monday, Wednesday, Friday. do do. Kaka Point—Monday, Wednesday, Friday. do do. Taylor's I J unfcJ-Nil. do do.