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Otago Daily Times, Issue 3758, 21 February 1874, Page 2

The s a. Lady of the Lake arrived yesterday morninir after a quick trip of 33 hours to the filolyneux and back. She left in company with the steamer Beautiful Star and Wallabi on Wednesday evening ; arrived at the Molyneux at Sam. next day, loaded tip wool and produce, and left at 5 p.m., and arrived at 8.30 a.m. yesterday. The run back was made .against a strong N.E. breeze and considerable sea. The Lady "of the Lake proceeded to Auckland in the The steamer Samson left on another trip to Oamaiu yesterday morning. Hatches were opened on board the barque East Xothinn yesterday, and discharging cirgo commenced. , lhe packages landed were in first-rate order. The last bale of wool was put on board the Elizabeth Graham yesterday, and her hatchway was *■" blocked off in the evening. It was a close shave to save demurrage, yesterday b«ing the last of her lazy days. The Graham has received very smart dispatch, having been discharged and loaded in thirtyeiKht days.'-Her outward cargo comprises nearly 3000 bales of wool, and 100 tons of grain. She has bent sails, and is expected to sail for London about Tuesday The ship Christian M'Ausland has filled up, and is now bending sails, and otherwise preparing for the run to England. . . The Harbour Department is wanting in sundry particulars, chief amongst which is a boat service. We believe that once upon a time a boat and permanent crew were attached to it, but as it was demonstrated tint the one boat was not sufficient for the duty, and the question of expecse being raised, the boat was altogetherdispen-ed with, and the.Harbour Master and other officers connected with the department were ■ thrown upon the resources of the watermen of the Port; and thoce reseiuces were equal to the emer- , sency, the watermen, as a rule, being steady ' and reliable. Still the system had its inconveniences ; watermen, were not always available, especially for a long pull to tin Heads in . bad weather. Hence the services of the little steamer Eesult have been frequently called into requisition, and so'the Harbour service, which is increasing year by year is conducted in a sort of scrambling manner ; undignified certainly, considering the importance of the department, and decidedly unsatisfactory, because both the Pilots and the Harbour Master can never feel sure that there is a boat in certain and constant command. We have a long time noticed this hiatus in the department, and the idea of a handy steam launch to fill it has often suggested itself to us. Now-a-days, steam launches of all sizes and power are built. There is a firm in London which is noted for its teak-built launches, the'cost of which is marvellously reasonable. £500 would purchase a large launch of a guaranteed speed of nine knots. The boats of the next class below would cost about £350, and steam eight knots. One of them ran for some time on the Thames river, Auckland, and astonished everybody by her performance. She is still doing duty somewhere about Auckland. —We have again been forcibly:reminded of the suitableness of a steam launch for harbour purposes * fey the performance ol one belonging to the steamer t Mongol.' This little craft seems to do the whole of the boating doty of the steamer, and makes light work 'of it: She steams from six to seven knots, and is ex"ceedingly handy, but is an inferior boat to the class of launches we have mentioned above. She would, however, be »n acquisition to our Harbour Department. At the same time, if the Government decided upon procuring a steam-lav eh, which, by the way, would«>nly" Tequire a couple of men a3 a crew, it would be perhaps as well to obtain a bo ;t of the first or second class, one which, on a pinch, might be taken round to Waikouaiti and adjoining harbours, or even to the Taieri; Such a launch would not be too Urge to run about amongst the shipping of the harbour, and would pro ire an invaluable servant in bad weather. We commend this suggestion to the consideration of the puwers that be. Something ought to be done to stiengtUen the Harbour Department in the direction indicated above. The cotter Margaret Scollay arrived from MoerJd yesterday afternoon. She left in the morning, and brings a carg J of wheit a;id woal for transhipment to the Dunfillan.