OPPOSITION STEAMERS.

Westport Times, Volume X, Issue 1349, 28 January 1876, Page 4

OPPOSITION STEAMERS.

The "Intelligent Vagrant" in the New Zealand Mail says :—" When opposition lines of steamers commenced running up and down the coast I naturally supposed that one line at least would show a. deficiency in passenger traffic as compared with that obtained by the line which had all the traffic to itself for a long time. I was pleasantly disappointed, then, when J found that in fact each line showed an increase on the traffic of the old monopoly. It made me think that the patriotic people of the Colony must have determined to go out of their way to support the efforts for their benefit, for the passenger lists of each departing or arriving steamer continued to be as long as my arm. But I found out at last that these passenger lists were more apparent than real. I read in the paper one morning that my friend Brown Jones had arrived in the Kouporaki from Duuedin, on his way to Auckland. I rushed on board to embrace him, but could not find him, and was directed to apply at the agents. I did so, and was told it wxs a mistake of the newspapers, which I easily believed, and would have departed satisfied, only for a conversation which L heard going on betwen the purser and the clerk as I left the office. The clerk said to the purser, 'I wonder how that name got into the passenger list?' The purser repiied; Well, you see, the lloosawiycthenoo that came in with us was full up to sleeping on the tables, ami I was not going to be beat so 1 just picked 20 names out of au old directory, slapped 'em down on a list, and give it to the reporter. We're not, going to be beat for passengers, I cau tell you.' "