THE FERRY SERVICE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19529, 11 July 1925, Page 7

THE FERRY SERVICE.

MARAROA’S MISFORTUNES. ANOTHER TWIN-SCREW STEAMER URGED. ■DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. (PaO® Oil®, OC% ■CbMIKESPONDEKT.) WELLINGTON, Jdy 10. Tho Mararoa’s misfortunes were the subject of discussion when a large deputation of South Island members of Parliament waited upon the Minister of Marino this morning. . After representations had been made, tho Hon. G. J Anderson promised to approach the Union Company and ask for the Wahine to lesume running in place of the Mararoa, or that, at least, another twin-screw vessel should be employed on the inter-island run. There were II members in the deputation, which was organised by Mr D. G. Sullivan and led by Mr T. K. Sidey. Tho others were Messrs J. Bitchener, E. J. Howard, L. M. Isitt, J. Edie, T. D. Burnett, H. E Holland, J. A. Macpherson, and the Hon. D. Buddo. On more than one occasion, said Mr Sidey, there had been breakdowns of the vessel, and the indications wore that the Mararoa was unsuitable for tho service. The recent breakdown might or might not have been due to the age of the vessel, but a breakdown q| that nature seemed liable to occur at any time in a vessel of the Mararoa’s Jength of service. Apart from the question that a survey might demonstrate that the machinery was in good order, there was a strong feeling that the vessel was not safe enough to be put on this service She must be 40 years old. Hon. Mr Buddo: Just 40 years. Mr Howard: She began running in 1885. Mr Sidey considered this sufficient argument. Recently tho vessel had left Wellington on a Saturday night, and had reached Lyttelton on Monday morning. This was under exceptional weather conditions, of course, but it might occur again. He know that the Union Company would tell the Minister that it would not pay to run the Wahine at this time of the year, that the number travelling would not warrant it, bnt why should the choice be between the Wahine and a boat 40 years of age? They felt that tho time had come for an up-to-date boat to be put on the run. The Minister: Yea, but what do you suggest? Mr Sidey: Tho time has come when some up-to-date boat should be put on the run. The Minister: The Union Company should do this. Mr Sidey: Yes. The Minister: And bear the cost, of it? Mr Sullivan: Tell them you will put on a State ferry service, and then they’ll come to light. A number of his constituents had approached him, said Mr Isitt, who thought that they should save tho public from what was a distinct peril. Not long ago the ! ship had left in the teeth of a southerly, had broken down and drifted for hours. He had asked the captain what would have happened if tho accident ha’d taken place outside the Heads, and had been told that he would have anchored. The vessel had shown herself to be liable to temporary stoppages, and was not a safe boat for the service. She had twice broken down since she had been newly put into commission, and the company should substitute some other boat which would give the travelling public a greater sense of security. The public knew what it wanted, and it wanted a boat which was safer near shore, declared the Hon. D. Buddo. Mr E. J. Howard also mentioned the vessel’s age. Some 40 years ago she had been a fine ship, and there had been a women’s rest room on board her. Now that had been taken for bunks, which were not superior to steerage accommodation, except that they had sheets. Some of the cabins were below the waterline, and common sense would tell them that these could not be aired or cleaned. Now she could not have more than a hurried dean up before ah© went out. They should look at tho caulking cm her upper deck. This must tell in bad weather. On board, when a breakdown occurred, tho passengers could never discover the reason for it, because Of the company’s “hush policy.” and when the company said that the. delay was due to an over-heated bearing they had to accept it. She waa an old boat—a wonderful old boat—but she was due for a rest. '

Superannuation.—

The Minister (Laughter.) A now steamer was obviously necessary, said Mr H. K Holland. The tJnion Company had done extremely well out of the gocplo of this country and ought to provide

A number of people were afraid to travel on the Mararoa, which accounted for the argument concerning the dearth of travellers at this time of the year added Mr P. A. de la Perrelle. Whenever the boat was late she missed the South Island connecting train, and people--bad to wait in Uhristchurch. The Government paid a substantial subsidy to the Union Company for the carriage of mails, and should have a voice in the matter.

It was Obviously a matter for inspection, said Mr Anderson, and when ho had heard that the deputation was coming to him he had had reports prepared. Their inspectors were men whose integrity was above suspicion, and Captain W. Oullen, Chief Inspector of Machinery, had reported that the vessel’s breakdowns had been duo to a run of bad luck and were not in any sense constitutional. A total. of £18,936 had been spent on the boat for repairs during

the past two years—£l3,372 m 1923-24, when she was converted from coal to oil, and the balance in 1924-25.

Captain Cullen: That’s only for her last two annual overhauls. Mr Holland; That doesn’t say anything about the smell on the boat. Mr Anderson remarked that a friend had told him that there had been bugs in his cabin, and so the health inspectors had been asked to report. Thev had made a report which he read. It stated that conditions on the boat as they saw it would be at their worst because she had rust completed a voyage. Nevertheless, they were entirely satisfactory. A special search had been made for vermin, but none had been found. Save for a few cockroaches, nothing was disco* —red. There were certain defects in the lavatories which could not well be avoided.

It seemed to him that the deputation would like a faster, lighter vessel, said Captain Cullen. Mr Burnett: One more reliable. If the Union Company put a twin screw steamer on the run, said Captain Cullen, well and good; but if they put on a single screw vessel, the Mararoa was as good as anything they could run on the trip. As far as her age was concerned, this would only affect the boilers and these had net failed in any sense. “Then why these frequent breakdowns?” asked Mr Isitt, who also wanted to know whether it would not have been a serious matter if the engines had failed when the vessel was near the Heads. The Wahine was a turbine steamer, but the Mararoa carried reciprocating engines, answered Captain Cullen, and the Mararoa probably had 10 bearings for the Wahine’s one. Thus she had 10 times the risk of her bearings being heated. Certainly if the vessel had been obliged to stop when near the Heads and the wind had been blowing her on shore, there would have been danger. The Health Inspector said that ho had nothing to add to his report, but would be pleased to show members where the trouble with the lavatories was found. A question by Mr Sullivan as to the sue of the ship’s cabins drew from Captain Cullen the remark that the Board of Trade insisted upon a certain cubic capacity for passengers, and that vhe Mararoa had that in all cases. . . A promise was given by the Mim.st.es that he would approach the Union Steam Ship Company and ask it if it would put back the Wahine on the run, or if this were not possible, at least put on a ti\ inscrew steamer and thus obviate delay.