MR. VESEY STEWART IN LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6818, 24 September 1883, Page 5

MR. VESEY STEWART IN LONDON.

We make the following extracts from a letter Written by Mr. G..V., Stewart, published in the Bay of Plenty Times" Within the past " week Considerable progress has been made in this matter, aud i regard the railway question as now settled. By this mail documents go to your local directors for their signature giving me extended powers, and on bfing advised here by cablegram that all is perfected (as informed by one of my friends acting with me in the matter), 'we can lay our hands on £50,000 within two. minutes, if necessary. This has been made without the railway valuation, or any assistance on this side f;om the Government, and only proves that I was correct in urging the matter to be placed on .the London market just twelve months a"o. If, however, the people of Tauranga would but follow my advice, it is but a matter of a very few years before Tauranga will yank among some of the foremost places in the colony, and even with all the drawbacks under which we are temporarily suffering as regards our port, Istill do not despair of carrying out the wishes of the district with regard to the return cargo of frozen meat. . .

All went on as smoothly as the ' marriage "bell' [in regard to arrangements for a direct ship], when early laat week I was informed by one of the partners that the New Zealand Insurance Company demanded an extra rate of 10s per cent, above the ordinary rates fer taking a ship above SOO tons into Tanrangai' Now let it be clearly and distinctly understood that I do not in the slightest degree impute the slightest blame to the said New Zealand Insurance Company, but the faho report about our harbour was transmitted by traitors or otherwise interested parcies from your' v side. However, Mr. Temple, who is ; senior partner in Shaw, Savill, and Co., ; suggested I should call with him upon the following day on Mr. Bristow, who represents the New Zealand Insurance Company here, is Chairman of the New Zealand Associated Companies, and . whose opinion carries much weight; in fact, I believe he can do pretty well as he likes, as he is much esttemed and respected. We called the following day as suggested, and I brought with me the Government chart oi Tauranga Harbour, and I,explained that this was made by the Government, and therefore perfectly reliable; showed the depth of water and the sand banks, so that even if a ship should go iagrbund (which could only arfse from bungling or mismanagement), and likely to oc:.cur m any place as well as Tauranga, still, the ."ship I could '.not possibly sustain any damage -By sandy bottom. Mr. Bristow .then sent' for some papers.and read ont the .report from their Auckland correspondent, :in, which the May Queen, and I think the -.Ladyjjocelyn, were alluded to in exaggerated terniv apd,;strongly recommending not to ■.iDSureianyyessel.-above:. 500 tons. I tliea took up 'the argument, that the Auckland people were a narrow-minded, selfish set of individuals; their object being to concentrate there, and further, the coat of frtight from Aukiand to Tauranga tvhen the yariqns.'charges of ..Auckland vere put to.geiherj were/about as much from London to ■ Auckland, and it was therefore a Godsend for .somejof those hungry rooks to be able to grab they'can both from our new arrivals, our wholesale traders, and ourßailwayCompany. ..:.:,.: "i-As it is ont of my power to fight agaihst'impossibilities, I have made ar?an"e' . ments with Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Co. B to '■send one direct ship to Auckland on favourable terms, 'ike passengers and cargo to be fprwafdefl by the firm to Tauranga at the same through rates, the passage money for Tauranga or Auckland to be the same, passengers for Tauranga to remain on board free of expenee till forwarded to Tauranga. By these means I hive indulged in the hope that persons who may not have finally closed with me for land at Tauranga will proceed thither when they can do so without any extra expense, and, once arrived there, that the natural beauty of the place, its superior climate, its genial surroundings, and the . many advantageous offers that may be submitted to them will thus induce them to take up their ptrmanent quarters among" .is-and add to our population and our wealth. , "