PORT MISMANAGEMENT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7820, 27 July 1896, Page 2

PORT MISMANAGEMENT.

Thb responsibility for arranging for the landing of passengers at the breakwater is obviously not in competent hands. This assertion we make without the slightest hesitation. The Tasmania arrived from Wellington at 5 p.m. yesterday, and at 10.30 the whole of the passengers for Napier had not been landed. They and thoir many friends on the wharf were kept waiting from live to six hours, on a cold and damp night, whilo tlKiw for the shore were takon, a lev? at a time, in an open I boat to the wharf, T) .; outrageous neglect on thi! part of those concerned is most reprehensible. Had the .Board been equal to the responsibilities of the position, when, the Glasgow wharf was

declared available for use definite ar-1 rangements would hare been insisted upon by which the agents of the two j lines of steamers would have been j bound, in the event of working the j wharf being impracticable at any time, j to have available a suitable tender | a reasonable time after the arrival of j any steamer. When the Wnihorn | arrived on the 2Gth of June, the I master oi that ?e .sel considered the i range at the wharf too great to permit | , the vessel to be worked there. Some- S I bod 7 who was left to decide the matter ordered the steam dredge to tender the vessel. This apology for a tender is a disgrace to the port when cscd for landing passengers, who are certainly \ entitled to greater consideration than if they were a lot of caiileto be dumped ashore anyhow. The risk ie, life on that occasion wad very great One gentleman was only saved frc'ir,' going overboard by another passenger opportunely grasping him by the _ coat. A lady, to save herself from accident, was compelled to clutch at one of the dredge chains forming pa.i o! the hoisting gear, and although she than possibly escaped drowning, her hands were smeared with _ thick and filthy compound of lubricating gtoase and dirt. This all took place amid a downpour of rain, and the passengers and luggage were exposed all the time to the inclement weather. It would _be only too easy to enlarge upon the risk and inconveniences passengers are subjected to, but we prefer to stay our hand, contenting ourselves with trying to bring about a remedy by this mild reminder. In conclusion we may say that the hurried departure of the Waihora last Thursday demands an explanation, as had that vessel waited only a few hours sho could have been tendered in the roadstead. We hope that a move will be made at once to bring about a better state of things than now exists. . _