PASSENGERS BELAYED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1363, 14 February 1912, Page 4

PASSENGERS BELAYED.

A PROTEST. It was stated in a Press Association message from Napier, published yesterday, that the steamer Monowai, from Gisborne, arrived too late to connect with the south-bound express, and a protest to the Union Steam Ship Company, signed by about fifty passengers, was forwarded against such delays. A copy of the protest mentioned has been handed to Tm; Dominion- for publication. It is as follows:— . "We the undersigned passengers on the Monowai, from Gisborne to Napier, on tho night of Sunday, February 11, desire to state that the Gisborne passengers left on the tender at 7 p.m., the weather and sea being favourable, and the Monowai did not leave the roadstead till 2 a.m. on Monday, too late to reach Napier in time to catch the mail, and thus causing us grievous inconvenience. There was an exceptional number of passengers—about 200 —thus necessitating a great many ''shakedowns,' and there was no apparent reason except cargo for such a lengthy delay, and we emphatically protest against the loss of valuable time imposed upon us and the many others whose signatures there wa.s not timo to obtain."

Hero follow ili signatures. A letter received referring to the above states:—"The disembarkation of passengers at Napier did not commence until 'J. 30, an hour too late for the mail. This is no isolated instaneo of tho U.S.S. Co. showing a lack of consideration for the passengers, who as a whole readily inako full allowance for any difficulties appertaining to the traffic, but such cases as the present are beyond all reason. With weather propitious, 200 passengers were held up by 'cargo operations for seven hours, the company being perfectly aware that by. so doing the Napier mail could not be caught, and apparently callous to the fact that the engagements of tho great majority of the passengers would be seriously affected thereby, not to speak of the unnecessary delay of an important mail. Two conclusions are apparent: That Gisborne people need to protest with no uncertain voice to prevent their present isolation being emphasised, and that wherever the U.S.S. Company carry mails to ports, the starting points of mail bains, they should l>o penalised in each case of failure to connect, except 'the act of God' bo proved."