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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 3, Issue 131, 24 March 1860, Page 2

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W O N G A W 0 N G- A, To the Editor op the 'Ha web's Bay Heeald' •Sib, — We forward copy of a letter in reference to the Wonga Wonga, and would feel obliged if you wauld give it publicity by insertion in the ""•Herald." Yours obediently, J. A. SMITH & CO., Agents. Wellington Steata Navigation Company (Limited). Wellington, March 9, 1860. Sir, — I am directed by the Managing Commit" tee of this Company to address you in reference to some observations made by you, reported in the "Hawke's Bay Herald," March 3, as follows : — " The Wonga Wonga, it was true, had occasionally brought up an English mail, but she had several times failed in getting back in time for the return of the mail steamer. As to sticking to the Wonga Wonga, there was great doubt whether sb.e would stick to us. Her boilers were said to be in a most dangerous state $ so much so, that it was said that a kick of the foot would make a hole in tnem. The wonder was that 6he had run so long without accident." Under the impression that these or similar expressions were employed by you, the Managing ' Committee have instructed me to forward you copy of a letter from Mr. Seager, an experienced English boiler-maker (who has been employed by j the White Swan and other steam vessels in Wellington), from which you will notice that whoever said that the Wonga Wonga's boilers were in a dangerous state, made a statement at variance with fact. With the evidence thus placed before you, the Managing Committee rely upon your sense of justice to correct the prejudicial effect of your, remarks in as public a manner as the former unwarranted statements were offered. About twelve months ago, the Managing Committee, with a*view of being prepared for any unforeseen'accident occurring, drdered a new boiler from England ; this ha? been made by the eminent engineers Messrs. Wandsley, Field, and Co., and is now on board the Constantino, ahortly expeoted dt Wellington. -Regarding the Wonga Having missed the return English mail, I may remark that this has only happened on one or two occasions daring the

long period she has kept up communication between Napier and Wellington ; indeed, not so frequently as the larger steamers hare missed reaching Sydney from New Zealand with the mails, whilst the Wonga has on several occasions been detained in Wellington, when ready for sailing, for four or five days, solely for the purpose of carrying in to Hawke's Bay the English mail. I have the honor'to be. Sir, Your obedient servant, It. J. Duncan, Secretary. T. H. FitzGerald, Esq., Napier. Wellington, March 8, 1860. Sir, — Having read the statement in the "Hawke's Bay Herald," relative to the state of the Wonga Wonga's boilers, I beg to state that it is quite without foundation, as the boiler of the Wonga Wonga is capable of being worked with perfect safety, with ordinary repairs for wear and tear, for two years longer, I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, Chaeies Seagee, Boiler Maker. William Hickson, Esq., Chairman W. S. N. Co., Wellington. To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Herald. Sru, — I will feel obliged if you will have the goodness to insert the following letter in your valuable paper, relative to His Honor the Superintendent's recent visit to the Wairoa. When His Honor was here he desired that any thing we might want or would suggest for the welfare of our district (Wairoa), he would feel glad if we would favour him with our views on the subject, previous to the next meeting of the General Assembly. The Wairoa, as most of our fellow-settlers are aware, is a fine district, and would be a very great acquisition to our new province, if the native title could only be extinguished. But, alas ! . towards the accomplishment of this a Land Commissioner has never even condescended to come and see us for the last ten years, to try and obtain such a desirable end. Three years ago the major part of the natives were agreeable to sell the West Bank of the Wairoa, up, I believe, as far as the Waikare -. Mr. G. S. Cooper, our Native Land Commissioner, was made acquainted with that fact, and was offered a passage in one of the small vessels plying between Wairoa and Napier, the roads overland being bad at the time. "Well, he promised he would come and see the natives on the subject, but the promise was all ; we never saw Mr. Cooper. Either that gentlemen has too much to do, or he did not think it worth his while to come to see us ; consequently, we have been left to ourselves ever since, and the beautiful valley of the Wairoa still remains an unclaimed waste, which there is every reason to believe if proper attention had been paid by the Land Commissioner, might, at this moment, have been affording a home to scores of our fellow-countrymen. Such gross negligence on the part of the Land Commissioners I cannot account for, unless they have either too much public business to atten d to, or that they are too much engaged in looking after their own sheep stations. If the former, I would say allow them some assistance ; but should it be the latter, I would say with Cromwell of old, " Turn them out, and make room for better men." I should be glad to see the native titl eextinguished in the Wairoa during the administrationof our present worthy Superintendent, as I feel confident he would deal with that portion of it which is fit for agricultural purposes, as he has done with land of a similar nature in the Napier district, with that bold impartial hand which hundreds of the poorer classes will have reason to feel grateful for during the remainder of their lives. Tours, &c, A Voice peom the Waieoa. Wairoa, March 8, 1860.