WEBB'S' LINK. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3363, 15 November 1872, Page 3

WEBB'S' LINK. TO THE EDITOR.

Nik -We arrive. 1 in Honolulu ia the Nebraska on tlio 27th Auuu.s^, and then found that no steamer ha»l arrived to take us on to San Francisco ; but on the 2!) th fiitnc the pnddlc Ktenrner Oiyinpia (402 tons register), and in her we took our departure at 11 a.m. <>n the .'Mst August. In the Sin Fr:;ncisco Chronicle of August '20th the Oiympia in described as " another of Satan's death-traps," and when I got on board and examined the vessel, I certainly was surprised at the coolness <>f sending such a boat to take us from Honolulu. To get our meals we had to go below from the saloon, which is on the upper deck, and indeed covers the whole of it, with the exception of a few feet at cither end (which was all the open air promenade we had) to the main deck, through the steerage passengers (who looked at us with longing eyes), and then down to the dining Baloon, which is at the bottom of the vessel. As we descended this Jstst flight of steps into outer (or inner) darkness, a warm f«elid atmosphere came up to meet us, rich with the scent of rancid cookery and bilge water. 1 persevered, and plunged right down into the blackhole below (many of our passengers turned back and turned up too at the very first sniff), ami there stood bewildered in a kind of Turkish bath, vainly trying to discern, by the dim light of half a dozen oil lamps, which served but to make the darkness visible, the whereabouts of the dining tables. 1 can describe no more at present, for my stomach is still weak, and unhappy recollections overpower me. There were three biunll boats on board capable of carrying on a mill pond nearly all the crew. The balance, and the passengers, could swim or go to the bottom, just whichever they pleased. I spoke to the captain on the subject of the boats, and he admitted that tc was an oversight, but " guessed we should not rc<juir<i them." 1 tried to find out in San Francisco who was to blame, but was referred from one to another, and got no satisfaction.

I fchivll never again travel by an Amoicsn line with any chance of having to change vessels by the way. A way from British ru!e, you are pitched into any sort of steamer anyhow. The Olympiads certificate stated that ahc was permitted to cany 44 tirst-i-Iw-a passengers, and there were blanks •opposite the wordh "steerage" and "eccend c'nss." I did pity the steerage passenger*. They had no place to sit down to their meal.-*, but had to Btand up and feed off a kind of Jong swing tray, like so many horses r.t a manger - only horses are better off, as they have a fixed manger, and the passengers liad to grab at their food when it came near than. The Nebraska has the same sort of arrangement in her steerage, only there everything wns clean. In the Olympia, the lmlloi-ks and sheep were killed alongside the steerage berths—and, oh ! the smell. The stcwr.riU-sB was drunk for the first three days, and could not be moved from the bunk in the hulios* saloon that sho hud taken possession of, while sick ladies had to do without her attendance. Tho chief steward then followed suit, awl went about "mops and brooms" for some I day«, till tho captain threatened to put him I in irons.

In praise of the vessel, I must j-uv that the captain and officers were j^litu :.i:d attentive, and did what they could with a lot of passengers in a boat utfcfiily mmiited far , the business. Mr Webb assures me that only absolute necessity compelled him to chatter the Olympia, as he was unable to get a more suitable boat; that he will shortly have three first-class steamurs on the route, and that they will run right through from JSV.r Zealand to San Francisco, only calling at Honolulu to coal. Till that happy day arrives, my advice to the' New Zealand public, e-picuHy ladies, is either to stay at home or travel l#y another route. When Mr Webb keeps his promise, or in the event of his amalgamating with the Pacitic Mail Company, or stilus out to them (iv which case a eulwidy-.ujH bo granted to the line by the United States (Jovernwent), you may venture to travel tins way, and the route will then no doubt, be a favourite one. , I have written dispassionately, flu.l have passed over many little uijpleasantnwsea. f «u-Ji as pipes bursting, being only too thankful u> set my foot safely on shore again, winch was more than I at nil times expected while on board the Olyrnpia.—l am, &c, Fkancis I'ui.tos. I LakoTahoe, September 20.

Referring to a cam which was recently brought before the BalJaiat Bench, in which three young girls who had been livirg an immoral life, were charged with vngrutuy. tho Bnllarat correspondent' of the Aryiw says :—" It is the opinion of several of the justices, and fc of the members of the poJic* force, that many young girls arc -allowed far too much latitude by their parent?, and that much of the misery entailed'on them arises from acquaintanceship with badly disposed companions'of either sex, formed at ntjihtr schools, tea meetingF, niusß-nl aid "thcr entertain no cuts, to which they an- alowed to go withont proper supervisiou." 'i'hese remarks deserve the consideration «»f jiHreuts in other Colonial towns besides Ualli nt.