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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 125, 28 September 1877, Page 2

T^jpgl^—— —«- i i im.^n__w_w_—aw_—_■——__—_—————gl—m A sHonx time since we enlarged on the advantages to be derived from an additional communication with t|ie Peninsula on Saturdays, via Pigeon Bay. Important, and replete with benefit, as such apian would be, there is yet an existing want of, perhaps, even greater importance, the supplying of which would involve far more benefit to two interests, the Bays' people, and the Christchurch merchants. We allude to the want of proper steam communication with Lyttelton, between the Okain's and Le Bon's Bays. Pigeon Bay has its triweekly service. Little Akaloa its communication ocne a week, but the Okain's and Le Bon's Bay settlers must either take advantage of a casual sailing craft, attended with considerable discomfort, or else must come through to Akaroa, and thence to Christchurch or Port, at, of course, a considerably increased, expense. . Within the last few years, these bays have become so much more numerously settled in, have grown of so much more importance in proportion as their communities increase in numbers, and are becoming districts wherein large interests are developing, that the matter of their facility of communication with the port and the metropolis is assuming proportions of no mean importance, and

becoming, indeed, almost a question of duty on the part of this district and its representative, to take steps towards i providing for the necessity. ! That the interests of the Lyttelton and Christchurch merchants are involved in this matter must be recognised at a glance, for, it is but rational to assume, that an increase of communication develops trade, directly and indirectly. And here, we may, not inappropriately, remark that it has always been very short sighted-policy, or a very reprehensible . nonchalance, on the part of the Christchurch and Lyttelton mercantile community, that the bulk of the trade, indeed we may say, the whole trade of Akaroa, and its immediate bays, has been suffered to go from this Province to Otago ; that, instead of our imports emanating from the chief city of Canterbury, and our exports for the most part proceeding to, as return commerce, the same place, we ship our goods away—north and south, everywhere, but there, —and obtain our goods from a southern market. Who can be to blame for this but the merchants themselves ? And if they suffer this wilfully, if they make no attempts to gain a connection here, but wittingly allow the southern men to absorb the trade that might be theirs, it is a short-sighted and mistaken policy. If they permit the secession, because they consider it is not worth their while to combat it, or to make any effort to retain or regain it, then the mistake develops into a slight, which, it is not improbable, at some future time will be remembered against them, and which they may yet heartily repent of. A proper and regular steam service between Lyttelton and Akaroa, taking in the bays en route, would tend in a great measure to keep the trade within the Province, and, moreover, such a service would become deservedly popular, conferring, as it would, so much benefit to a hitherto much neglected district in this respect. S.ome of our commercial routine at present is as absurd as sailing from London for Scotland via New Zealaiid. For instance,* almost every week, produce is shipped from here to the north via Dunedin ! Can there be a greater farce ? Does this inconvenience not require some exertion on the part of the Peninsula people, as well as the Christchurch and Lyttelton commercial interest, to affect an alteration ? We think so, and thus leave it for their consideration.