CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7957, 30 August 1887, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

We are not responsible for the opinions exprcissed by 'correspondents. Tbe writer's uame, as a guarantee of good faitb, muttt be encloied in the letter. FISHING BOATS FOB THIS COAST. TO THE EniTOB. Sib, — In one of your late issues you give on account of a boat built in Auckland for Mr. GribbOD, of Waitara, for fishing on this const ; the dimensions are 28 feet long, 9 feet beam, 4 feet depth of hold. This class of boat would suit well •where there is plenty of shelter, but for this coast it will ba utterly useless. Tho J most serviceable boat fcr the Taranaki const would be a whaleboat with 3 feet leas beam, and from 20 to 30 feet in length, with a centre board ; tbis class of boat wald P»y ton timed over the boater, {

Gribbon has. With a boat 9 feet beam and 28 feet long it will be found impos-, sible to get men to work her, she will be bo heavy, and in sailing to windward it will bb found that her beam is too much by 3 feet. With all due respect to Mr. Gnbbon, 1 am afraid he will have to fall back on the small fry again. In conclusion, I would suggest to the Harbour Board that they construct a " gridiron" out of the fender used in launching the Thomas King, plank and batten the same, having a windlass for winding up boatß on the "gridiron, 1 and so help to encourage the fishing industry here, and provide a place of safety for boats in case of S.E. gales. If a boat was kept on this " gridiron" by the Harbour Board no vessel need ever pass this pprt, and prevent us from being the laughing stock of our neighbours by allowing steamers to pass by. — I am, &c, J. BUTTERWORTH.