STEWART ISLAND

Southland Times, Issue 21196, 24 September 1930, Page 9

STEWART ISLAND

THE STEAMER MR HICKS REPLIES TO CAPTAIN HAMILTON. .To the Editor. ’ Sir,—Captain Hamilton’s ungovernable outburst of rage in your issue of Saturday was most uncalled for and unwarranted. It is only 12 months ago since Captain Hamilton entered the service and up to some six months ago he himself was a strong advocate for a bigger and better vessel and stated quite openly that he 'knew where suitable vessels purposely built for similar service could be had both in Sydney rftid in England and that they could be had for a very small sum; further, that hb was going to take a crew over and bring back such a vessel for the Bluff-Stewart Island service. Under the circumstances it is hard to undertsand why he should resent the Hon. Mr de la Perrelle’s suggestion that tenders be called for a larger and more suitable vessel. Captain Hamilton'will have an equal chance with anyone else to tender for the contract. He talks of tens of thousands of pounds, but he ‘himself told me and various other persons that such a vessel could be had for £4,000. So far as I know no one has ever suggested that the “Tamatea” was unseaworthy or that Captain Hamilton was incapable of handling her, and surely we are justified (in wanting to step along with the times; even if we are not successful, there is nothing criminal in being ambitious. Captain Hamilton’s rash statements and his apparent ignorance of public affairs are so pronounced in his letter that it is almost an insult to the public’s intelligence to attempt to answer it, but there may be others outside Southland and Otago to whom the facts are not clear and, as your valuable paper is so widely read, I beg a little space to correct some of Captain Hamilton’s erroneous statements. He accuses me of making inaccurate and misleading statements. My answer to this is that I have been too long associated with public .'affairs to be fool enough to make inaccurate statements and I challenge Captain Hamilton to- disprove any statement I ever made concerning the Stewart Island service. The captain’s own statements in his letter of Saturday last are inaccurate and misleading. He states that my house is only open for four months of the year; he knows perfectly well that my houee is open from November 1 up to May, six months, and longer if trade warrants; also he insinuates that I loaf for the balance of the year; he also knows perfectly well that I engage in other occupations during the winter months and he himself often sees me toiling through the weary hours of the night in the fish cleaning sheds to make ends meet. Other boardinghousekeepers as well as Mrs Hicks and myself realize that there are not a sufficient number of visitors during the winter months to keep us all running efficiently, and we purposely withdraw so that one house may be efficiently run; surely..this is a public service 1 Captain Hamilton .accuses me of lack of interest, but I do not think anyone ever wrote me for accommodation who did not Set a courteous reply and full information; if my house is closed I reserve for them elsewhere and advise them of the fact; that they appreciate this is quite apparent from the number that call to thank me personally. Applications for winter accommodation are rare for, contrary to Captain Hamilton’s statement, all the Government tourist bureaux and the public generally know that my house is closed during the winter; an occasional error at the Tourist Bureau has been due to changes in the staff. The captain’s statement suggesting that I was responsible for the Bluff Harbour Board’s decision to elaborate its tug “Southland” to run the Stewart Island passenger service is truly flattering. I had no idea that I had so much influence with the board; I am indeed grateful to Captain Hamilton for his compliment. He asserts that not one word of gratitude has ever been uttered to the Bluff Harbour Board by Stewart Islanders, but I can assure him that if the secretaries of the board have been filing their correspondence he will find many words of gratitude written over the signature of Robert C. Hicks. Some of Captain Hamilton’s letters to the board, if published, would make interesting reading and, I believe, would not be overflowing with words of gratitude. The love he has developed for the board during the last few weeks ie truly wonderful to those of us who know him. ■ With regard to the so-called neglected dump at Halfmoon Bay, Captain Hamilton did not think it worth while to mention that he personally was the worst offender by using the so-called dump as a repair shop for his dilapitated launches. Further, I would .inform Captain Hamilton«(lest he take any credit to himself) that among other grants for Stewart Island this year is the sum of £2OO for improvements on the Halfmoon Bay foreshore and, with the help of local money, will do much to improve an already Very beautiful spot. With regard to the £3OO grant for a nurse’s cottage, this was a £ for £ grant and our portion is already raised locally and waiting for the Government grant; this is only one of dozens of such instances, which apparently Captain Hamilton has been too busy brooding over other people’s affairs to notice. The suggestion that I lay down a bowling green is my affair. I am quite capable of running my own business and the bowling green will come all in good time; we have to creep before we can walk. Captain Hamilton would be much better employed setting his own house in order. The suggestion that Stewart Islanders have no constructive policy or schemes of improvement to popularize the island again proves Captain Hamilton’s ignorance. During my period of service on the County Council much has been done and during the last 31 years while I have occupied the chair, I have been responsible, with the help of a very capable body of councillors, of achieving the following new works. • The erection of a new and up-to-date hall fitted with electric light and sewerage, a cinema box and dance floor that is larger than any other dance floor in Southland; a new jetty at Glory Cove, at Big-Glory Harbour, at Euchre Creek, at Kaipipi Bay, at Leasks Bay and at Port William, six in all, and all built in Australian hardwood and without one half-penny of Government or outside 'assistance. The hall also was built without Government help. The wharf at Halfmoon Bay has been enlarged to more than double its previous size and a shelter, goods shed and ladies’ waiting room have been erected on it. All The .buildings and a portion of the wharf structure were erected from local funds. We have .constructed a new track from Glory Cove to Ocean Beach, a' one-mile circular walk through bush at Big Glory Harbour, two beautiful, walks through magnificent virgin bush •at Euchre Creek, a track from South West Arm to Pryse’s Peak and down the opposite side to Trumpeter Cove (about six miles), a three-mile walk from the Rakeahua river to a most gorgeous waterfall. We have opened the track to the summit of Table Hill, including a sixty-feet suspension bridge and established a land communication with Pegasus Bay, a track from Kaipipi Bay to the Whaling Base, a track from Port William to Sawyers Bay, a track from Golden Bay to Deep Bay, and also a track from Halfmoon Bay to the Lighthouse, in addition to thia a great deal has been spent in widening and. metalling roads for the benefit of settlers and improving the tracks over the. Ruggedy Flats for the deer stalkers.

There will also be spent between now and Christmas a sum of £lOOO for, the renewal of Golden Bay and Ulva wharves in hardwood. Not a bad record, I think, for

31 years in a small county like Stewart Is. land; yet Captain Hamilton says our interests are dead; surely he himself is sleeping! It may interest Captain Hamilton and the public generally to know that I devote fully a third of my daylight hours to county and other public affairs and I do not give it grudgingly. At the last election I contested a seat in the Middle Riding at the special request of the ratepayers and every single person who registered a vote registered for me. I doubt if any other person in the Dominion can claim a 100 per cent, victory, and it is certain I do not lack the support and appreciation of our own people. ■■ With regard to Captain Hamilton’s remarks re pubs, keg parties, etc., they are too contemptible to answer. His accusation that we sent a man to interview him with regard to re-conditioning the Southland is also erroneous, as Mr Thompson (the gentleman in question) himself will explain. Captain Hamilton’s' figures with regard to the running of the Southland are purely imaginative. The Southland may be no use as a tug, but she has proved that as a ferry boat she has been everything we could desire, and I say here and now for Captain Hamilton’s own eyes to read that I and Stewart Islanders generally are very grateful to the Bluff Harbour Board for their magnificent effort to popularize the Stewart Island service and we are more grieved than tongue or pen can tell to know she is a failure as a tug. For the years before the Southland arrived when the island was not so popular as a tourist resort the Theresa Ward did yeoman service and is still a good seaworthy vessel, but even the chairman of the Bluff Harbour Board, Mr W. B. Dixon (himsMf a competent and trustworthy master mariner) admits that with the advancing times she is not a suitable vessel for the tourist trade, and despite Captain Hamilton’s pessimistic views I have sufficient confidence in those who control the affairs of our Dominion, both on the Treasury benches and the Opposition, to believe that the time is very near when an up-to-date vessel will be on the Stewart Island run, and I hope to have the pleasure of seeing Captain Hamilton in command. —I am, etc., ROBERT C. HICKS, Halfmoon Bay. ABOUT A PROPOSAL. To The Editor. Sir, —Referring to the letter written by Captain R, J. Hamilton, in Saturday’s issue of the Times dated September 20,1 was one gentleman he referred to. The statement was not correct insomuch as the suggestion I put forward was simply of a private and informal nature, .and 1 was not deputed. by any public, body on Stewart Island as he suggests. The suggestion I put forward was this — If he would agree to approach the Bluff Harbour Board for the use of the T.M.V. Southland to run the usual service from December 17 to the end of January, a matter of six weeks, and not six trips as he stated in his letter. I felt sure the Stewart Island CountyCouncil would make strong representations to the Minister of tourist and health resorts, to subsidize the running of the vessel for the term mentioned, against any loss to himself. The tourist season at Stewart • Island is unfortunately of very short duration, and it is only during the above mentioned period that the full complement of passengers are carried to and from Stewart Islapd. When the s.s. Theresa Ward and s.s. Tamatea encounter rough weather, and have their full complement of passengers on board, neither vessel is suitable for the passage to Stewart Island, as it is impossible to provide shelter for all on board. It was owing to this fact that the Bluff Harbour Board decided to provide accommodation of a suitable nature on their new tug, the T.M.V. Southland. It is to be deeply regretted, in fact it is a calamity, both to Southland and moreso to Stewart Island that the running costs have been too costly for the vessel to carry on. I wish to add, during the height of the season, nearly- one third of the passengers have cribs, and tents, where they put up during their stay on the Island —the remainder patronize the boarding houses. The plea for a larger vessel during the busy period is entirely for the convenience and comfort of the travelling public. Referring to Captain Hamilton’s letter he states: “A more selfish proposal for the misuse of public money he has never heard of.”—The public will, no doubt, judge this for themselves. Regarding" Captain Hamilton’s service to the Island it is only fair and proper to state the Island has never been so well off for a reliable service during the rest of the year, and I am quite sure the majority of the people at Stewart Island duly appreciate this fact. Craving indulgence for taking up so much space, I am, etc., J. W. P. THOMSON. Halfmoon Bay, September 22, 1930.