THE WONGA WONGA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, 2 December 1857, Page 1

THE WONGA WONGA.

This fine little steamer arrived off Napier Heads about eight o'clock on the evening of Saturday, after a passage of thirty-two hours from Wellington. She left that port on Friday, with the intention of calling off Castle Point, but, the wind being strong at the time from nor -west, Capt. Kennedy was obliged to proceed to the northward. The appearance of the "Wonga" is equal to what it ever was, and her sailing qualities seem, if anything, to improve. Not long ago she steamed the voyage from Collingwood to Wellington wharf — a distance of 132 miles — in 15 hours. We regret to say that we cannot write so favorably of her management. Of this, indeed, complaint seems to be general ; and, with reference to this District in particular, serious inconvenience, if not actual public loss, have resulted from the irregularity, which has recently marked her movements. Advretised to sail for Napier on Monday the 16th ult., the "John Me Vicar's" passengers offering, she sailed on that day for Nelson, thence to Collingwood and Wanganui. Meanwhile, she was announced to sail on Monday the 23rd, and an intimation to that eff jet forwarded to the agent here — the directors at same time, being perfectly aware that, under the most favourable circumstances, she could not possibly perform her work in the interval. Thus, a double deception was practised upon the public, resulting in a very serious sacrifice both of money and time to intending passengers and others, and very probably in a heavy loss to the Provincial Treasury ; for it is generally understood that several persons who intended to compete for lots at the recent land sale were deprived of the opportunity of so doing by the non-punctuality observed in the departure of the steamer. We presume that the company has been subsidised by the Provincial Government on the principle that she is to perform Provincial service. If so, it is a fair question how far her directors are justified in the course they are pursuing, and whether, on the part of the Provincial Government, some degree of interference is not imperativelv called for. The "Salopian" sailed for Wellington on Sunday morning. Unfortunately; "bw" ing to the unaccountable absence of the "Wonga Wonga", all the mails had been, late on Saturday afternoon, put on board the schooner. The "'Salopian" took on board 15 bales wool and 35 bags wheat at Waimaroma, and sailed thence on Sunday evening — we hope in time to round Cape Palliser before the south-easterly gale that ensued. The Gleaner, with immigrants, from London July 29, arrived in Wellington on the 18 th ult. There had been another wreck at Sydney Heads — the "Catherine Adamson," of 800 tons, with the loss of 21 lives.