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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XVII, Issue 1724, 8 February 1862, Page 6

Lyttelton nnd Otago, anti!also with Napier and "Wanganui, relating to subjects to which their attention might have been called to in letters received by the English mail. Mr. Duncan said that as he had heard that Captain Renner had refused to bring on the mail, he had made it his business to enquire into the truth of the statement, but be found that instead of Captain Renner doing anything of the kind, he had made three distinct applications for the Wellington and Napier mails without success. The excuse was that it was not worth while to run the risk of forwarding the mails by a small steamer when a larger one was coming on to Wellington direct. The resolution was then put and carried nem. con.

■Mr.. Hunter regretted that he felt it his duty to bring the circumstances of the Pilot’s recent absence from his post before the Chamber ; but ns Lloyd’s Agent and as Agent for the rllbemarle he could not do less, The two English vessels were daily and even hourly expected at the time as they hud been long overdue, so that there was less excuse for the Pilot's absence than m : ght have been made under other circumstances. He did not wish to bring any accusations against the Pilot, but he thought that the matter should be brought under the notice of the Government, and that an enquiry should be instituted. He would therefore move,—

That the attention of his Honor the Superintendent be called to the fact that the Pilot was absent from his post when the ships Arabella and Albemarle arrived off the port on the 3rd January, Mr. Johnston seconded the motion. He fully concurred in the observations of Mr. Hunter. The subject was of too great im portance, nnd had too direct a bearing on the beet interests of the Port, to be passed over without notice. (Hear, hear.) The resolution was then put and unanimously adopted. There being no other business before the Chamber the meeting separated.