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Lyttelton Times, Volume LXII, Issue 7411, 29 November 1884, Page 4

Why the Marine Department should hesitate to comply with the reuuestof the Lyttelton Harbour Board for a lifeboat for the port of Ak&roa it is not easy to understand. The Marine Department m the proper authority. The Department already has a boat there. That boat l*evng worn out and totally bad, the duty of the Department is to rephu't* it, just as it is its duty to replace any of its property that is required for public use and convenience. The same duty lies upon the Department m upon private owners. If a private owner keeps a boat for a certain purpose, say for ferrying passengers across an estuary, and' that boat become* unfit for that Cwe, the owner gets another. He vs perfectly well that if ho does not, and his enwy property comes to grief and somebody, is drowned, he will find himself in prison for manslaughter, Now, the Marine Department has a boat at Akarea for certain purposes. One of those repose# undoubtedly is to save hfe at sea in mm of disaster. There are at Akaroa, as has been pnjwj many time* in the history of that aukl little town, brave men who look upon it as at mm their privilege to asrist in the aaving of

lives that are in jstH of tb. M . a wild moments. For lark of a some of these men will the Government boat—it. i*' official {Hilititmtss called a Ijf*. U, ;rt some stormy day to r -«- r self-imposed duty and enj,, r t J.,.| heroic privilege. Now, in mi. likely event of th«*ir never Wing he, )r .l of more, the Marine Department. U in the convenient category of #t ititc*, without son]# to I*’ saved and to b-< kicked, cannot !»• imjriwr..,] for manslaughter. We *ine.-n {v t r .. that this is not th® e»»n»id< ra?,,.., which prevents the Department [ r .. 10 replacing it# worn out boat with , newer and better craft. But w. ~U ;. not help asking if that is not re., reason, what, in the name of ho mar,, tty, business, and common sen*;*-, ilt the reason ? The best answer *h Department can make is that it has sent a proper l**at to Akaroa. that answer is ma le the agitation f , r that boat should never cease, Wh* r the treat is supplied, and a she,) for her, she will be taken good of. Of that there need be no f.-,- vr