Correspondence.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 115, 23 September 1865, Page 3

Correspondence.

OBSTRUCTIONS ON THE GOVERNMENT WHARF. To THE EDITOB OP THE ' NELSON EXAMINEE.'

Sir— Most persons who have business connected ■with the shipping at this port, must have been struck with the confusion and disorder which prevail whenever two or three vessels are loading or unloading together. This is more particularly noticeable when a great number of passengers are embarking at the same time, when the risk to the unwary of being run over, or pushed off the wharf by loaded trucks propelled (at the latest possible moment), by some invisible agency, is anything but trifling. Few persons whose business obliges them to frequent the Government wharf, but could testify to having witnessed, if not personally experienced, many narrow escapes from one of the above casualties. This may arise from the insufficiency of wharfage accommodation, and, no doubt, in some measure from the carelessness of the victims themselves ; but I believe that the evil would be materially lessened if the G-overnment regulations (a copy of which is suspended from the shed on the wharf) were strictly adhered to. Amongst the most important of these is, that there shall be a clear space of at least nine feet between each edge of the wharf, and (I think) a passage across of a certain width at intevals of eight feet. Another clause, which seems to me to be habitually disregarded, is No. 22, which stipulates that "No chrome or other ore, metal, coal, or ballast, be allowed to remain on the wharf at any time." If insufficient accommodation is the cause of this breach of the Government regulations, I think it is quite time that our Government bestirred themselves to provide for what the increasing traffic so urgently demands. Ido not wish to imply that matters are any better at the other wharves, but when public money has been largely expended, the public has a right to expect that their convenience shall be studied as much as possible. Another striking deficiency at our wharf, is the absence of any proper accommodation for passengers embarking upon or landing from any vessel lying alongside. The plank used for that purpose, which is frequently of necessity inclined at a considerable angle, requires the nerves of a Blondin, or a sailor, to be traversed with safety, and is a cause of much unnecessary discomfort — especially to lady voyagers, or the more nervous of the other sex. Every halfpenny steamboat wharf on the Thames is provided with a proper gangway, with a handrail at each side, for the convenience of passengers ; such an article might be provided at a very moderate expense, but would be an inestimable comfort to all who might have occasion to use it. The wharf is also supposed to be lighted at night for the convenience of the public, but I think there is great room for improvement even in this respect, as the illumination effected is anything but brilliant, and might be well described by a slight alteration of the words of Milton — But from that lamp No light, but rather darkness visible.

And it is perhaps owing to one or both of these two last-named deficiencies, that the melancholy accident which took place at Wellington, a few nights since, is to be attributed. It is to be hoped that some improvement will be adopted here, before you have to record a similar catastrophe in our own harbour. But supposing a passenger has succeeded in gaining the wharf, and that he or she has escaped being run over or knocked overboard by the trucks, or impaled upon the spear-like ends of wire-fencing standards, or in another way "hauled over the coals," there is just another ordeal there which he must be prepared to pass if it happens to be wet | weather on his arrival. An inky lake yet lies between him and terra flrma, through which the unfortunate must splash his weary way, wondering if a solution of carbon is remarkable for its preservative effect upon timber, as it is bo carefully prevented from flowing off. But I fear I have already trespassed too much upon your valuable space, bo I will conclude, hoping that it may be somebody's business to remedy the evils of which I have been the unwilling, though self-constituted Censor. Nelaon, September 20, 1865,

Prolific Wheat, &c. — Mr. D. C. Carter has directed our attention to several plants of a very prolific wheat, growing in his garden on the Loutli Park Road. Of this wheat, which is a brown variety Mr. Carter had a few grains sent out from England by a friend, who was cultivating it largely. He planted this seed in May last, and some of it has come up, and was thriving well until a day or two ago, when a goat got in and eat off the heads of most of the plants ; however as it is yet early, they will probably grow again. On each of the plants there are the extraordinary number of from forty-five to seventy-two stalks. A peculiarity in the growth of the wheat is that the stalks, instead of shooting straight up, as is the case with ordinary wheat, spread out. The plants are about a foot apart, and at this distance seem to thrive very well at present. The wheat is said to be very hardy, and not so liable to rust as the ordinary kind ; the grain is about the usual size. Mr. Carter has also a small extent of ground sown with rye and prairie grass seed. The rye grass seems to flourish well, and Mr. Carter thinks it would be a grass suitable for cultivation in the colony. From one of the roots there were as many as twenty stems, one of which measured fully an inch round. The prairie grass does not appear to flouruh hmtlt to welL— Jfaftfand Mtrewry,