The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 375, 13 October 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1868.

It is rather surprising that the directors of the larger steamboat companies, have not up to the present time, without solicitation, arrange for their vessels to call off the Buller, at least occasionally, but trie reason assigned we believe is, that the trade of the port is not • sufficient to warrant them in stationing a tender permanently here, and that there was no small steamer always available for this purpose. This no , doubt has been the chief drawback in the matter, but at the same time, it is questionable whether the managers have ever taken any definite means to , ascertain - what the reasonable trade would return, or any particulars in i connection with it. It is probable in case of an arrangement being made, ! that at least some light freight might be obtained, and it is certain that a , comparatively large traffic in gold and I passengers would be secured. At present if passengers wish to go or : come to or come from any other ports than those on the coast, Nelson and , Auckland, they have to suffer detention, and sustain serious loss in many cases. For instance if their destination is Melbourne, they must go down ' to the G-rey or Hokitika, and pay that ' fare in addition to the passage to Australia, whereas if the Melbourne "■ boat called here, they would go direct > on board the vessel that would land them. Irrespective of this, it is quite possible, and indeed very often th , case, that passengers are delayed at the above mentioned ports, and some days, aud a good deal of money has to . be expended before they get fairly away, or are able to arrive, as the case may be. At present gold pays double freight, and double insurance, one to the port of final shipment, aud one from it, and by being shipped direct, a large amount of money would be saved to the banks, and might be given by them to the miner in the shape of an enhanced price of gold. The gold that passes through the Custom House in this town, is by no means a small item for companies to consider in connection with their boats calling here. The last quarter, in spite of Auckland and Queenslandrushes, showedcloseon 36,000 ounces, or nearly 3000 ounces per week. It is tolerably certain that if the large steamers were available here, they would have the conveyance of this amount, and if their visits were weekly or even fortnightly, a very pretty picking would come out of this freight alone. With reference to the dangers of the port or roadstead, they are not a tenth part as bad as the southern calling places. A suitable steamer can go out or in, at nearly any time of tide, and the bar is never closed by any weather, or under any circumstances. Thanksto the telegraph, no detention or delay need ever take place, for on it being intimated from Nelson, Greymouth, or Hokitika, that a boat was coming, the tender could anchor in the roadstead, ready to receive her, and in half an hour or less after arrival the larger boats could have received and discharged and be under way again. As to the advantage that "Westport would derive in the form of direct mail communication and other respects, they are sufficiently manifest, without dwelling on them, the question comes, are they attainable ? We can show a clearly profitable trade that will not require a great deal of persuasion to induce owners to take up, and now the late difficulty of a harbour boat can also be removed. The owners of the s.s. Waipara intend to keep her permanently trading between here and Hokitika, calling at the intermediate ports, and they are willing to enter into an undertaking to tender any boats that may call, and so time their other trips as to be always on hand when required. They have been, we believe, in communication with the manager of the Panama Company on the subject, and there can be little question if the public here will only support them as

they deserve, that an arrangement may speedily be entered into. All that need be done ia to collect statistics for the Company's information, showing them the probable income that would arise, the time that calling would occupy, the class of port that the Buller is, and other particulars. The Waipara is exceedingly well adapted for this end. She has plenty of power for the purpose, has just been overhauled, and is in excellent order, and the Company may rely on the service beiug efficiently performed, and on no breakdowns occurring through defective machinery, or through any other than such unavoidable causes as happen to the best boats ever built. For our own part we should rather have preferred the formation of a company to charter or purchase her Waipara, but if this is impossible it is very clearly to the interest of Westport to facilitate by all means in our power any arrangement that will secure the constant services and by them so great a boon as the occasional visits of the inter-colonial steamers We hope in any new organisation that may be formed, that this will form a leading item in the programme, and that the very advantageous offer now open on the part of the above steamer, may be accepted without delay.