THE STEAMER SERVICE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3830, 13 May 1913, Page 5

THE STEAMER SERVICE.

TENDERING VESSELS IN THE BAY.

UNION COMPANY TO BE ASKED TO WORK PORT IN DAYLIGHT.

The discomfort and danger incurred in transhipping passengers at Gisborne at night was a theme of discussion at the statutory meeting of 'the (iishorne Harbor Board yesterday morning. The matter was brought, up by the Chairman (Mr Townley), who maintained that it was time more consideration was shown to the port. .Steamers wore despatched from Auckland so hue that it meant that Gisborne had to l)o worked in the dark, which meant a great deal of discomfort for passengers arriving and leaving the port. He moved that the Tnion S.S. Company be written to, urging them to arrange that their steamers should leave Auckland earlier to enable them to arrive at Gisborne in time to tranship passengers in daylight. Toe motion was seconded by Mr Sherratt, and carried.

Mr White considered it was a mistake to send the tender out into the bay with passengers before the northern steamer was sighted. On Sunday night the Tuatea was cruising round in the rough sea for a couple of hours before the arrival of the Alokoia.

The Chairman thought this was more a matter for the local agent. The captain of the tender frequently got Information as to the steamers’ whereabouts from the keeper of the Xualnne lighthouso. Mr Sawyer said the cause of the boats arriving from the north so late was that they wore detained at Auckland awaiting shipments of Island fruit. The Chairman : We don’t care what they Are waiting for. All that wo want is that the steamers should arrive here to enable the pasengers to 1)0 landed and put on board in the day time, instead of at night. In the face -of the adverse weather report on_ Saturday, it was the duty of the Union Company’s officials to have despatched the Alokoia earlier from Auckland. Mr White moved that the Union Company be written to requesting them, if possible, not to send the tender out to steamers in the bay until the vessels were ready to receive the passengers. '1 ■ » Chairman seconded the motion, stating it was the Board’s duty to •make matters as pleasant as possible for passengers at the port. J r - Clark pointed out that had not the Tuatea gone out on Sunday night the Alokoia" would have passed on Sor‘b. There was an outside chance of ' fitting the passengers on board the steamer, and the Union Company s of-iic-i ’s find to make the effort. I Mr White: Yes, but where was the nee ssity of going out two hours earlier than necessary? .. Mr Humphreys asked if it was not a f-ct that the‘Tuatea frequently had to -9 out to give the big steamers a lea' 1 in to the hay. The Chairman admitted tins was so. . , Mr White’s motion was put and carried.