CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6936, 9 February 1884, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

— ♦—•— THE PILOT SERVICE. TO THB EDITOS. Sib,—ln your issue of the 6th inst. is a report of -the proceedings of the Harbour Board meeting, held the day previous. From that 'report I notice that there waa considerable discussion on the question of appointment of pilot. 'When it became known that a pilot was required for this harbour in the room of Mr. Burgess, I was away from Auckland, but telegraphed to* a gentleman to learn about the matter and pnf. in an application for me. This was done, and I heard nothing more of tho matter until my return, when I was confronted with the report referred to. From that report I learned that a Captain Fox had been «,pE orated, and. I stood second on the list, eing officially notified that if Captain Fox failed to pass the necessary examination, I was to be called upon to take his place. Coming back to the report, I learn that Captain Fox virtually acknowledges his inability to pass, and to assist him to still hold the position he asks to be allowed to go oat with the pilots for a month to learn the " ran of the ropes," and yet his' application was supported by the majority of the Board. Wβ may all safely presume, on the grounds that he had the. best knowledge of all tha competitors, and now, what does Captain Fox know? Simply nothing. And yet he is thrust into the position against men who have navigated the harbour for years, by day and by night, in fine and in foul weather, and who want no month to learn cross-bearings and position of buoys, for they have had to learn all that long past, and be examined upon it, and that too before they could obtain a certificate of exemption. For myself, I have been for the past ten years a visitor to. this port as 'master of steamers, and I never yet; found it troublesome to navigate in all weathers.- The harbour is easy of access, and safe with tha use of ordinary caution, and using such caution has been my success as a master. Is it to be wondered at that the Board cannot obtain good men to fill their appointments when they act with such favouriitsm ? No oue with the slightest spirit of manliness would consent to stand by and play second fiddle to the Board's " pet men." I for one will not, and so I believe that is the feeling of all the others who applied at the time I did. If the pilot service is to be carried out properly, and in a manner worthy of such a port as Auckland, a radical change will have to be made, not only in the system, but also in the management (I do not refer to Captain Burgess). Properly organised, plenty of good men are to be got, but at present it is now, as Captain D. H. McKenzie says, " the Board had not obtained the beat men."—l am, &c, A. D. McGiluviuy, Late Master U.S.S. Company*