THE HARBOUR FERRY SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1110, 25 April 1911, Page 3

THE HARBOUR FERRY SERVICE.

Sir,—Permit me, through the medium of your widely-circulated paper, to call attention to the way the Wellington Harbour Ferries treat the residents on the other side, of the harbour. Veslerday (Easter Monday) they advertised both in tho Wellington press and also on Hie notice board at Way's Buy that the last boat to town from Day's Bay would bo •the Duchess, at- six o'clock; but on coming to cross by the six o'clock boat, I found that there was no boat going across at this hour. It had apparently been taken off. Instead, they substituted the Admiral for the Duchess, and altered the sailing time to 5.45 p.m. Now, I certainly do not think this at all fair, either to residents or to holidaymakers. In fact, a great many people, owing to this alteration, were compelled to stay in Day's Bay till this (Tuesday) morning; and this is not the worst feature by a long way. The Admiral was filled with passengers at Day's Bay, but, notwithstanding this, sho proceeded to Ronn Bay, and took on several hundred people there. Owing to the overcrowded state of this steamer, several passengers

refused to go further than Rona Bay, and panic on shore there, and over fifty Bona Bay passengers refused to go on board at all. On this account tlio Cobar was compelled to come back to townngain and bring a few of the delayed passengers across.

i am sure, Sir, yon will agree with me in saying that this treatment is not the correct sort for the Ferry Company to mete out to their passengers, and certninly not the proper way to encourage Wellington people to take up residence on the other side of the ha,rbour. Is™ by to-day's papers that the Admiral was not "ever-loaded." 1 cannot think this is so, as the passengers were simply packed like sardines in a tin. The' report stated that on account of the top-deck being crowded it gave the impression of overcrowding. The lower deck was much more crowded than the upper deck. All these .statements can be borne out bv hundreds of others, who, I am sur.o, will endorse every word I have said.

I was under Hie impression a Customs ofliccr looked after the overcrowding of such steamers, lwt 110 one was at either Day's Bay or Rona Bay last night. Had an officer been there last night, 1 am sure he would have scon lliat other arrangements than those made wore put in force for the safer carrying of passengers. Apologising for troubling you, and hoping you will find space to call attention to the matter,—l am, etc., BAT'S BAYITE.