THE DEVONPORT FERRY SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12480, 26 January 1904, Page 7

THE DEVONPORT FERRY SERVICE.

TO THE KDITOK. Sir, While I have never shared it, I feel no apprehension in conveying to you that a laige number of residents in Devonport are strong in a belief that whatever the remissness or apthy exhibited by the Ferry Company towards tho travelling public, no local newspaper will vigorously support their protests. Personally, i prefei tho suggestion that the servants of the company are so uniformly courteous, and so ever ready to please, that protests are withheld lost they be prejudiced in any way. J? it the time has arrived for an emphatic objection against the action of the company in employing their new steamer Condor in the service. At first it was used apparently boo; l .use of crnergencies which may arise in any locomotive concern, but now it is most cleat that whenever a charter of one of the ordinary steamers offers, the Condor is impressed into the ferry service to (•'*•_. frequent discomfort, and, what is of much more moment," the serious jeopardy of the health of travellers. A death arising from an accident i.i the much-abused tramway service (Devonport people wish they had only tramway troubles) arouses tho indignation of tho country, but a. death which could bo traced to exposure of helpless passengers on the Ferry Company's raft " escapes notice. I have seen this vessel placed en the twenty minutes past eight a.m. trip, vvheu some hundred passengers, all presumably tied by business engagements, were forced to travel. A strong westerly wind, with frequent drenching rain squills," had to l>e borne by these, without a vestige o) shelter. A dozen or two women sitting on bare forms. with rain coursing over them, were probably on tneir way to attend duties which would prevent tho chance ot a change till nightfall. A mother with a bab\ en route to the railway, in which both would soa'< in dampness for a weary hour or two, were there, and all this because, the Ferry Company's ordinary steamer was earning a fee carrying pick-nickers to some remote part of the harbour. Now, it is almost a regulai thing for this Condor to he in the ferry service. Auckland's eiiN'nniiess has'for too long avoided treatment to hope for permanent cure; even a Chicago theatre fire would not rouse it for mors then one week, therefore thero should not bo much hope that this perpetration of the Ferry Company will bo resisted strongly. It there is hope, that hope- is centred in "the Hesald by Ckedo.