TELEGRAMS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3119, 9 February 1871, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

LytteliTOlT: 8th — 12.30 p.m., Taranaki, from Wellington. A Southland paper says that the shipping trade of Stewart's Island is steadily increasing. At Half-Moon Bay two cutters are in course of construction. The one, which is a neat emart- looking craft, will be ready for launching in a few days; In the first instance, it ■will be chiefly engaged in the fish and oyster trade. The other crafb has just been commenced. Outlandish as Stewart's Island is, ire are much mistaken if its cutters — the one more particularly mentioned above — will not show as good points as many crafts turned out hj older settlements. In reference to the shipping item regarding the shipment of dangerous material on board the Celeeno, the following letfer to the editor of the " Daily News" explains the whole affair : — Sir, — -The newspaper reports of the prosecution against us by the East and West India Docks Company for causing mineral extract of a dangerous nature to be sent to the Celffino for shipment being decidedly unjust to us, we beg to state briefly the circumstanaes : — We received a comtnissiou from a Wellington correspondent for a number of lamps and a small quantity of mineral extract, both to be ordered from a lamp manufacturer, to whom accordingly, the order was sent, with our usual instructions to pack carefully for shipment. The manufacturer forwarded the lamps in one case, and the extract in two packages, which he omitted to mark outside as required by law, nor did he acquaint tfee railway company of the contents. Having no declaration of contents, the rail way company advised the three packages to us without remark, and in usual course our shipping clerk, guided by mark and numbers, ordered them to the Celeeno. One of the packages appearing damp outside, our clerk insisted on its being opened to discover the cause. Up to this moment neither we nor the dock company were aware of any irregularity, and immediately on its being discovered, we placed the "whole circumstances before the company and afforded them every facility for judging of the matter. It will be apparent from these statements (which were made in court) that while we have been held responsible as the only parties with whom the Dock Company could deal, the manufacturer, in reality, is the offender. . We may be blamed for not sooner discovering and rectifying the irregularity, but the Dock Company will exonerate us from any desire to wilfully evade any of their regulations. The circumstances are worthy the attention of merchant shippers, as showing how nnwittingly they may be involved in Berious responsibility by the carelessness of their suppliers.;— We are, &c, Jas. M'Ewan and Co, 122, Cannon street, London, E.C., October 22.