TE ANAU SERVICE

Southland Times, Issue 19898, 17 June 1926, Page 6

TE ANAU SERVICE

The Southland League should give long and earnest consideration to the reply made by the General Manager of the Tourist Department to the complaints made about the steamer on Lake Te Anau, because Mr Wilson’s letter suggests as forcibly as it can that the condition of the steamer has been occasioned largely since the vessel was handed over to the present lessee. This is a steel vessel and we understand that when she was inspected prior to being handed over under the new arrangement some four years ago it was declared that she was good for twenty more years of service provided she had reasonable treatment'. The waters of the lake are not so likely to be as hard on the hull of the vessel as sea water, and fifty years’ service is by no means uncommon in the case of sea-going vessels that are given attention. In its letter to the department the League has declared the steamer to be in such bad condition that she is not considered safe, but it would be interesting to know on what evidence this decision was reached. It is desirable that in matters of this sort the League’s inquiries should cover as much ground as possible so that the real causes of the dissatisfaction that is said to exist may be uncovered. Mr Wilson, on behalf of the department, makes the point that the steamer was in good condition three or four years ago when it was leased, and if the vessel is now in bad shape the fault does not lie with the department, but with the lessee, whose arrangement with the department was that he should keep the vessel in good order. This subject having been raised, the League should press the department to examine > die whole of the airaagementa in cotmec-

tion with Te Anau and see if something ! better than the resort has had in the past cannoj be assured for the future. The department’s inquiries and the League’s in- - quiries should not be confined to the steamer and her present condition, but i should go back over a series of years to make sure that if changes are made they will be certain to effect improvements. The Southland League will be neglecting its clear duty if it lets the matter rest where it is, instead of following up the clear implications of the reply made by the General Manager of the Tourist Department.