A STEAK-TUG- FOR THE GREY.

Grey River Argus, Issue 117, 11 October 1866, Page 2

A STEAK-TUG- FOR THE GREY.

; - - PUBLIC MEETING. . -,0n" Tuesday evening a public meeting was held in the Theatre, at Sweeney's Hotel, for the purpose of taking steps for the organisation of a public company for the purchase of , an efficient steam-tug to be permanently stationed at this port. There was a tolerably numerous audience,, representing almost every branch of the mercantile and trading ' community. . ■>-'''■■,'.' Mr J. Kilgour was voted to the chair," and .opened the proceedings by reading the '. notice convening the meeting. He referred to the urgent necessity of Greymouth being able to secure the services of . a steam-tug of its own, instead of having to trust to the chance -visits of the Hokitika boats. He called .upon Mr Maclean to move the first - resolution. ■< Mr D. Maclean moved—" That it is the opinion of this meeting that for the preservation of the commercial and local interests of the Grey District, it is essential that a steamtug should be procured, to be principally owned by the residents of- Greymouth, and permanently stationed thereat." He thought that the. desirability, ..of out- the object expressed in the resolution must be evident to all present. The port of the Grey was suffering great injury by the detentions which vessels were constantly undergoing through the want of a tug. It had been shown by experience -that it was useless to depend upon outside tugs, as the Hokitika boats only came up. here to §ui£ $heir,own , , convenience. Besides the injury Jo the'^ v character of the port caused by 'this:- unsatisfactory state of things, it caused serious loss and inconvenience to the "mercantile community here in the delaying , of their goods, and the cost of transhipment from Hokitika. The direct passenger traffic to Gre'yuiouth had almost dwindled d,own to nothing, as at Melbourne and Sycbiey the steamboat cqnir panics would not book passengers, except to Hokitika. The speaker then referred to the recent instance of the Otago, and pointed out that unless an efficient tug was regularly stationed at the Grey, the steamers and sail, ing vessels would fight shy of the port as far as possible. Beyond the necessity for the proposed tug, he thought it would be a very excellent speculation, as it would leave agpolj direct PFphtj besides producing many indirect, advantages. He might inform the meeting that a few gentlemen interested in the move^ vment went 'round on Saturday and Monday, and were yery successful, having obtained signatures to the amount of L 4500. Many of those who had put down their names for sums varying 'from L3OO to LlOO were prepared .fa increase or dpuble their subscription should the projected company be formed pn a 'sound basis. .He had made a rough calculation of the probable! earnings and working expense's of the prqpqsed tug, and after making 'all c]ue allowance for", competition with the 'Hokitika boats, vessels, sailing in, &c, he fixed the gross earnings of the vessel at from L&OOO to LlO.OOO per. annum. Previous to the present mo veraeht, his firm had corresponded with various parties, about a tug steamer, They had received one letter from Messrs Phillip Levi and Co. Adelaide, offering for salg a powerful tv« named the Goolwa, which the Secretary \yqulcf read to the meeting. '" . " .' The Secretary (Mr Tyler.) read the letter, which was to tjhe effect that, the firm were prepared to treat for the purchase of the s.teamer, whfch they §;ated.. to have cos^ nearly LI 1,000, but would accept L7,50»F They describe it as the niost powerful steamer for its size in the Colonies : its extreme length. 130 feat, and width over, all 21 feet ; depth of hold 10 feet 3 inches. It has twq engines of 90 Jiors.e power, and its draught of waiter, when loaded. \yi^h 200 tons of cargo i^ Quly"7ft. 6in/; light, 4 feet 6 inches. It has a qabin-h.ouse with accomnipdatipn for IS passengers, consumes* 10 cwt. pj: coal per iiour! > and steams 10 knots p,er hour. The Secretary also, read a copy of a letter .from. Maclean ■ k Fisher and Co , tp R<eid, Pp.ple and Co., Mcl- R bourne, with reference to the purcnase pf-the M Dispatch, a new boat expected from England. There, had not yet beeu tune for a; reply, buii one was expected by the Albion. ' Mr G. T^-YLftit seconded th,e first resolution, which was pi\t to the meeting and carried. Mr Ashton moved— li That; a Company be. forthwith organised, under the Joint Stock ' : Companies' Act, for the purpose of carrying, out the idea, expressed in the first resolution, the said Company to have a capital o{ LlO.OOO, in 1000 shares of LlO each." He -explained that it had been originally the intention of the projectors to fix the capital in L 25 aliares, but, after consideration, it was thought better to adopt the smaller amount so -as to give the inhabitants generally a c,hance. v . Mr Fisher seconded the resolution. The Chairman remarked that ho was satisfied that if the Company was properly established the shares would be taken up freely. For .himself; h.e was prepared = to. double the amount placed, opposite his name' MrW. H. Revell asked how it was intended $P. : call up. the capital ? He was of opinion that a great many intending share-, holders wouhl be influenced by the t^me and amount of the calls. .Mr Maclean §ajd ..th,^. this part of subject had not yet been ctiscussed, and a great deal would depend ( «^pn' the terms on, which they could purchasew'steanier. ", The Chairman had reason to believe that if L4QOQ or L5OOO of. the capital were called up, one or other of the Banks would advance the balance. He might tell the meeting that, Mr Alexander Bain had gone to Melbourne, and he had promised to make every inquiry respectiilg;a tiig, so§that in a few days they might be 'in a 1 position to know exactly the. terms ;on which, the purchase could be. effectecL " •* . The resolution was- carried. Mr J. Paul proposed — ' ' That the following, gentlemen be appointed provisional directors, to issue a prospectus, organise the Company, and register it forthwith i.— Messrs Kennedy^ Paul, Maclean, Ashton, Kilgour, Perotti,. Comisky, Lahman, Sheedy, M'Dowell, Glenn^ Smyth, Slattery, Blackmore, Cpates, James Taylor, Johnston, Griffen, Fisher, and Pur-, cell.'-' ' ' " " . ." Mr Harbison, in secpjuling the resolution, congratulated tha meeting on the evidences of • public energy which had lately manifested' themselves in Greymouth, and pointed out that it was only by such movements as the present one that the progress of the district, could J?e secured. ' _..'■'■. Mr James JoiiNSTON showed in forcible, lights, the injury the Grey District sustained owing to the want of a regular tug-boat. The resolution was carried^ A discussion ensued as to the amount of/ the cajls t^bemade^ and several propositions were made 5 ultimately, however, it was agi'eed, on the motion of Mr Rjevell, that the matter should be left in '^he hands of the.v Provisional Directors^ '# ' A vote of thanks to the chajt; terminated, the proceedings, which were niarkeclb/ deen^^[ . interest throughput. ' '■'■'-— ~^^j^^M