SPIT FERRY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5273, 6 January 1879, Page 2

SPIT FERRY.

Sir,— As I know you are ever ready to help the helpless, and as I pyaelf like to see fair play, I trust you Ml kindly lay before the public the true position of the present ferryman. It wiUjbi easily seen that he is set as a target for [everyone to shoot at. I will not say that he is faultless, yet I don't like to pass by w hat was stated in the columns of yesterday's Daily Telegraph. It will be remembered by many that after Messrs Anderson and Co. had agreed with the Harbor Board for the ferry, an offer of £10 more was made by the late ferryman, and many of the Petane settlers used their influence to get the agreement cancelled, but failed in the attempt. It now, appears that what is a fault with the present fersymah would be no fault with the late one, and no doutt faults will be found until the present object of hatred is supplanted by his rival. As ' far as I understand, there are supl posed to be two boats for the service of passengers. On New ; Year's Day, to oblige passengers, two extra boats were hired, but unfortunately the honorable reporter of the Daily Telegraph and some lady friends ' were rowed , across by a Scandinavian, and the ferryman had the rapud,ence to ask his lordj&iji f or. hja f ar^f i

Ml * n—^W I don't know what could be mori insulting. Had the ferryman known that such a personage would have crossed thp ferry, no doubt that, instead of a dirty, " dishclout," he would have ordered' a new banner with a donkey's head in the corner for his majesty's special use. Instead of ■ the honorable reporter complaining, [ think the ferryman had the greatest ' cause to complain in being hindered froni his duties by the honorable party refusing their 6d each. As for waiting for a full load of passengers, he is in fault if he goes with one passenger and another shortly appears ; he is in fault if he don't go back, and if he does go back he is in fault, unless there is some arrangement for the boats to leave each side at stated hours. Trusting you will kindly oblige by giving this a place in your next issue,— I am, &c, Fair Play. . Western Spit, Jan. 3, 1879.