FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 111, 13 May 1933, Page 9

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITEMS FKOM " THE POST "

A RISK FOR THE lONIC

"Seeing that it is announced by the Otago papers—onl what authority we do iiot know—that ■ the 'magnificent White Star steamship .lonic, now on her way from England to Wellington; will take her' Homeward departure from Port Chalmers, it is somewhat disquieting," remarks "The Post" of this date fifty years ago, "to read that the Monarch, a vessel only about a quarter the size of the lonic, struck so severely on the Otago bar while going out that she was moro than half wrecked, and that the steamship Wairarapa, which is'less .than ,half the lonic's tonnage, and which was drawing only a trifle over 16 feet of water, bumped when crossing recently the Port Chalmers b^r, and bumped, too, in a very impressive manner. It will bo a : great deal too bad if the success of the new Direct Steam Service is imperilled at the outset, and a splendid steamer placed in iminent danger, merely to satisfy the inordinate craze of Dunedin people for inveigling big ships into their dangerous and inaccessible harbour. Apart from other awkward mishaps which have resulted from this risky mania, and which have, been sufficiently numerous of late' years, it ■will not be forgotten how, the San Francisco boats fared when under the old. contract they were obliged to hop over that nasty bar ,and to wriggle in and out of that narrow serpentine channel by which Port Chalmers is approached. Any disaster just now would give the new service a bad name and gravely, injure its prospects. We do hope that this rumoured piece of folly will not be perpetrated, but that if the lonic must call at Port Chalmers —to i which there is no other possible objection besides that of danger—she will anchor outside the Heads and have the passengers brought out by a tug. To' tako such a ship as the lonic up to Port Chalmers until the entrance has been materially improved—if, indeod, she!: would ever get in, at all,1 which is more than doubtful—would be . simply tempting Providence." , : RURAL LANS LEASES. "The Government aro taking active steps to bring into operation the clauses of the amended Land Act of last' session providing for the leasing of rural lands. There are 2264 acres on the West Coast of this Island offered at upset rentals of from Is 9d to 2s 6d per acre per annum; and there are 26,000 acres in Otago at upset rentals ranging from one to five shillings. Any person of 18 years of age and upwards can become a lessee under this system, but no lease is to be granted to any person who would own or occupy, in eluding tho land comprised in tho lease, a greater area than 640 acres in any part of the colony. The result of tho tendering will be awaited .with the greatest of interest, as affording .an indication of tho oxtent. to which this new departure in tho .land policy of tho colony is likely ,to be successful." THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL. , "The announcement which wo were in a position to' make last night, that the Pacific Mail Company, the .contractors for the San Francisco mail service, have consented, to renew, on the terms dictated by New South Wales, tho contract which expires in Octo-ber-next is, in all respects, highly satisfactory. It implies the continuance of this most efficient - and valuable Bervice on terms unexpectedly favourable to this colony. It is eminently satisfactory to learn that we can obtain this boon at a cost which is practically inappreciable, and which there is'«very reason to'anticipate will fade away'into 'nothingness within two or -' throe years "at the farthest." LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION. "A meeting of the provisional committee appointed with a view to the promotion of a Lawn Tennis' Association was held yesterday, when it was Tesolved to write to all the clubs in the Wellington Provincial * District, and request them to call a meeting of their members to ascertain if they would join an association, tho subscription, to which was fixed at three guineas for'clubs numbering less than 50 members, and six guineas for clubs with more' than' that number of members on ' the joll. It ■is said that in Wellington alone thero are three clubs numbering 195 members, while there are four' other clubs in different parts of the provincial district." ROAD TO TERAWHITI. "It was quite refreshing to sec tome little vigpur. and determination displayed at yesterday's meeting in reference to-the construction of the muck-needed ,road connecting Wellington with the Terawhiti goldfields. No one can doubt that this is a work which ought to, be carried out with as little delay as possible, assuming, of course, ihat there is good ground for the sanguine anticipations entertained by the numerous ' companies which have for some time been prospecting in that locality. And there seems good reason to assume this. Tho genuineness, tho payableness, and large extent of the field, is vouched for by go many credible ° witnesses, that it would be ultra-scepticism to doubt ■that Terawhiti, if, perhaps, not so rich a field as some others which this colony has seen, is nevertheless fairly auriferous, and capable of extensivo development,' of affording employment to'a large number of hands, and of yielding',a handsome supply of tho precious metal to swell our hitherto Tather meagre aggregate of exports. But this cannot be done until the locality is rendered less inaccessible than at present. The Government may fairly be called upon to give substantial aid in opening up this promising district, while at the same time it is only right that the companies interested should furnish a guarantee of their good faith and determination to persevere by bearing'a proportion of the, cost. Wo hope that the decision ot yesterday's meeting in favour of •this course will be unanimously endorsed by the various companies lepreEemed, and that tho report of the inspector will be sufficiently favourable to induce the Government to take 'vigorous steps in the matter without a moment's unnecessary delay." IMPORTANCE OF VACCINATION. "Some striking information has tocen^ly boon published in respect to the results of vaccination. This is such as should convince the most bigoted of the anti-vaccinationists, did they not pride themselves on being superior to conviction. It behoves tho Government to ignore all foolish prejudices against the beneficent precaution devised by the great Jenner and to enforce the provisions of the Vaccination Act irrespective of all irratipnal resistance. We never • know when the dreaded variola may be introduced among us. Even the establishment of the Direct Steam Service increases tho danger, and we cannot afford to neglect any safeguards against what would be bo terrible a public calamity as the naturalisation of a small-pox in our midst."