DETENTION OF STEAMERS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 603, 25 April 1882, Page 2

DETENTION OF STEAMERS.

To the Editor. Sib, —In view of Cr. McGregor's notice of motion for next meeting of the Council, that some steps be taken to remedy the frequent detention of the U.S.S. Co.'s steamers here through grounding at tho jetty, I beg to hand you extracts from ft letter of the Company's agent at Lyttelton, giving details of the expenses attached to tho grounding of the Penguin on Tuesday last. I may state that she came in on a falling tide and grounded without being able to reach the jetty. She had therefore, to wait till the tide had fallen and then risen sufliciently to enable her to come alongside—a period of three hours, which was time absolutely thrown away. Since these detentions are of frequent occurrence—although the Company when preparing time-tables always study our tides—it is clear that for years past there has been a heavy annual loss to the Company through grounding. Seeing , , moreover, that there is a p r obabiity of tho little Wanaka being taken off shortly and replaced by the Rotorua, a vessel more than 200 tons larger than the Hawea, it is imperative that something be done with the leas-t possible'(delay towards getting an increased depth of water. Failing some improvements* being effected, it seems to me thai, the only course left for the Company will tie to re-arrange tho serving of Akaroa, withdrawing the large boats and snbsticuting small ones. The possibility of being relegated to such boats as the Maori, Beautiful Star, etc., is one that sho'ild surely make all put their shoulders to the wheel to save Akaroa from such a fate.—Yours, etc.,

W. H. HENNING. Extract from Mr Puflett's Letter.

" The detention of the Penguin last Tuesday cost the Company £5 13s 6d for the railway department alone ; then we have the crew paid for overtime, which would cost about £3, and to this there is the extra coals used through being late. We also paid £5 for extra labor to the dumpers, and customs overtime. I should say that the Company lost about £15 by her detention. You will also please note that passengers were inconvenienced by the detention, as she did not leave here until 11 p.m. that night."