FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 105, 6 May 1933, Page 24

FIFTY YEARS AGO

The Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's vessel Halcione, 843 tons, under tho command of Captain Parker, arrived in port 50 years ago, after a trip of 114 days from Gravesend. She carried 3(i passengers and arrived in good condition after a. voyage made in fair weather. The chief officer stated that the long voyage was attributable to the I continuance- of light winds. On those occasions when the wind was favourable it frequently blow so hard that tho vessel had to hove-to. | A cable message from London stated that tho Agent-General for New Zealand, Sir Dillon Bell, had received no tenders for the direct steam service between New Zealand and England. "Tho Post" expressed the opinion that the subsidy of £20,000 per annum, offered by tho New Zealand Government, was far too small to compensate for the,inconvenience and expense attached to complying with tho very stringent conditions imposed. It was stated by a London correspondent that the New Zealand Ship-! ping Company had entered into an arrangement with the White Star Company, whereby tho two steamers lonic and Doric were to take up the running between Great Britain and New Zealand until the Shipping Company's now vessels had been built. A telegram from Ilukitika reported that the s.s. Murray had grounded outside tho Spit while passing through the North Channel. Sho had a hole a foot square knocked in her side, level to the water, through coming into contact with tho "training wall" on the Spit. A San Franciscan journal, writing on tho San Francisco mail service, advocated that Wellington should be made the port of call instead of Auckland it' New Zealancl should continue the service and New South Wales withdraw from it. It was stated that. 47,584 letters and 124,752 newspapers and periodicals were carried from San Francisco by the Australian mail .steamers during the last three months of ISBI2.