The Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1874.

Evening Star, Issue 3663, 18 November 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1874.

In the month of October the vessel United Brothers was beached at Oamara in order to save the lives of the crew. On the 15th of that month the { North Otago Times’ contained an article concerning that event, in which the condition of the vessel is thus described :

..J 1 ! 0 fern-post is almost entirely rotten, and the deck looks as if so many rats had been eating holes in it. Here you find a hole filled up with cement, and there another filled in with tallow ; in fact, one of the men said, “ As fast as we pumped the water out of the hold, it ran back ogam through the holes in the deck.” Ana -that this is not one whit an overdrawn picture, wo have the testimony of the master Captain Tael, who informs us that he offered the Customs authorities, at the preliminary inqmry recently held, if they were not satisfied with his testimony as to the condition of his vessel (which is, we believe, of an unknown an tiquity), to bring them a bucketful of her nlank tng as ocular demonstradou. Our contemporary comments severely upon the “ carelessness of life and property -which permits of such floating cosns being sent to' seabut, strangely enough, imputes blame to everyone but those >vho mainly oiudit to be saddled .with it. First, the Government is blamed for not’instituting “ a proper system of inspection,” and next “ the Insurance Companies are blamed for risking the money of their sbayebokters to tbo too© of bujadreds of

pounds on such frail and decayed craft.” A Northern journal, the ‘ New Zealand Herald,’ taking its cue from the ‘North Otago Times,’ follows in the same sti’ain, but in nr' her of those papers is there a word ■ I condemnation of the owners, who r.Aed nothing—evidently not even imputation, since they are studiously kept out of sight in the discussion. To whom the United Brothers belonged we do not know—possibly to some most honorable man or men—men whose word in the ordinary transactions of life is their bond, and who, therefore, are not likely to be mistrusted in any business transaction. Even a whisper that any advantage would be taken of the faith men placed in their unblemished reputation and honorable dealing might be silenced by the exclamation “impossible,” and in the confidence that “all was fair and above board ” —that the vessel was well found and seaworthy, the risk was taken and a loss sustained. Granted that a preliminary survey might have disclosed the truth and prevented the risk being taken, it by no means exonerates the owners of the vessel from blame. The ‘ North Otago Times ’ censures the Government for not treating all ship owners as suspected persons, in insisting on a survey prior to a vessel’s sailing. We are sadly afraid that, with English experience before ns, there has been remissness in that respect. It is said that no man can be honest who bas to deal with horses and horsey men, and something of the same condemnation appears likely to attach to shipowners. In horse racing a man who ri£ks his money is at the mercy of horse-owners, jockies, grooms, helpers, and bookmakers ; and when he surveys this array of men whose livelihood depends upon the number of dupes seeking to get rich by betting, he must be blind indeed to imagine there is anything before him but the almost certainty of loss. Shipowning has not yet reached that point of dishonor, but if many “United Brothers" are in existence, instead of a risk that can be calculated, insurance will become, like horse racing, a mere chance of winning. It is still possible to get insurances effected at moderate rates, because, as Mr Plimsoll says ;

Shipowners, as a class, are really careful o men’s lives, and neglect no means of safety known to them; and that they are so, considering that the law leaves them entirely free to neglect these means if they please, is a fact very much to their credit, lint there are in every large class of men some who ueerj the law’s restraint—who, without it, have no best, tatiou in exposing others to risk, if by so doing they can augment their own profits ; amongst these are the pushing.and energetic, and sometimes needy men. ‘What wonder is it, therefore, if these, under the pressure of competi tion and greed, should habitually decide points, where the right and wrong arc not very clearly defined, in a sense favorable to themselves ? This statement, true of England’s shipowners, seems unfortunately equally so of the Colonies ; but, through the comparatively trifling number of vessels owned amongst us, a few black sheep are more detrimental to our interests than to those at Home. Losses are heavier in proportion to the amount invested and form a heavier tax upon trade. It also happens that the humane and upright are placed at a disadvantage by those who try to meet “ competition ” or gratify “ greed,” at a risk to the lives of seamen and to the money of insurance companies. They run no risk themselves. If a “ floating coffin ” makes her voyage successfully, the return is equal to the earnings of a vessel costing ten times her value. If she founders, as she is expected to do some day, the underwriters pay the price of 9 sound vessel, for it would be crying “stinking fish ” to place a small value upon her. The writer of the article in the ‘New Zealand Herald ’ says

Much has been said and written of late about Government surveys, official surveillance, and the like. The Insurance Companies have the power in their own hands, if they only choose to exercise it—(l.) By refusing to insure all old and doubtful vessels. (2.) By a careful survey of the rigging, chains, anchors, sails, &c. (3.) Declining to insure ships commanded by men of unsteady habits, especially those who have been unfortunate.

This is excellent advice in its way, but more difficult to follow than it appears. We remember, for' instance, one of the strongest vessels in the Baltic trade some forty years ago was considerably more than one hundred years old. It is very difficult to say at what particular stage of decay rigging or sails cease to be serviceable, and very conscientious men might differ widely on the point; and as for “ habits,” since no man could say whether the captain of the Surat was drunk or sober after she struck, a man that a Good Templar might pronounce unsteady, a doctor might consider very respectable. Equally difficult may be the position of managers of insurance companies in regard to their position in case of refusing to insure a vessel. Our Northern contemporary’s correspondent, whose letter forms the chief portion of his article, says—

. As a shipowner, as well as being interested m two or three insurance companies, &c. He does not say whether he holds a very large number of shares, or whether or not he is a managing director. Supposing he is, and the manager sturdily refused to insure cue of his “ floating coffins ” that might with good luck make the voyage in safety, is it likely that they would work harmoniously together aud the officer’s bicad aud butter remain secure ? If seamen who are supposed capable of judging of the seaworthiness of a vessel will risk their lives for the sake of a livelihood, what wonder that actuaries, under directorial influence, take risks ? In Colonial transactions* interests dpvetail so much into each other, that in cases of this sort there ia no help for it but inspection hy compe-

enfc and independent officers. Possibly no veal independence can be secured, excepting they are appointed by the Government; and as it is a matter in which lite and property are concerned, interference is clearly within the limits of its functions.

We are glad to learn ou inquiry that Mr Hawthorne s illness has taken a favorable turn, and that he is now on a fair way to recovery.

“ Kosedale ” was repeated at the Princess’ last night. To-night “ The Octoroon ” will be pr duced ; and, as Salem Scudder, Mr Bates promises to give a better taste of his capabilities than he has yet had the opportunity of doing. Mr J. Hislop, jeweller, has on exhibition in his window a magnificent cako of gold, weighing l,2oooz,the productof the crushing of 250 tons of stone from the Cromwell Quartz Mining Company’s reef. The cake measures about twelve inches across andeight inches deep.

We have to thank the Commissioner of Police for a telegram received by him stating that a man named George Kendall was accidentally killed or drowned while crossing the Waipori Kiver, with a load of timber, on Monday. The body was removed to O tram where an inquest was to have been held this afternoon.

There was a large assemblage of brethren of the i.O O. D. last evening at the Pioneer 1.0 Ige room, at the Oriental Hot 1; G. M. Bco. Gour’ey presiding. Pas" G. .VI. Bro Jam>s Michie was presented with a hands oih 1 gold watch, chain, and locket, valued at fifty guineas, ‘in appreciation oi hj s services to the. Urder.”

Mansford disposed of the civil list and the ordinary police cases at liie Resident vlagistrate’s ‘ oart this mornjng ; and at the Supreme Court Mr Bailu-ate heard the pharge of obtstning money under falsa pretenc s preferred against W. J. M'llroy, of Christchurch, and arising out of what are now known as the Comet cases. Mr Bathgate dismissed the information, Loldirg that there was no fradulent iutmt on the part of Vi‘llroy, who had been led to belie he was authorised to act as agent for Messrs R. B, Martip ami Co,

Acorre poudentsays:— having our morning contemporary by stating in a Jotter—to which attention is specially directed in a local— that the transit of Veuus will coalmen:e at about eight or twelve minutes past twelve o’clock at noon on the Bth December, We are informed on very good authority that although the readers of the * Guardian’ may stand gazing at the heayens on that day until they are black in the face rijiey will fail to see the planet on the Sun’s disc—the transit will commence at about a quarter paai one o’clock p,m, on the 9th, and not on the ■ th, as stated.”

The purchase of the steamer Peninsula hy the Harbor Board has been completed, and to-day the Board’s engineer (Mt Simpson) and Captain Thomson, accompanied by the Secretary { Vlr Gillies), made a Hying survey of and took soundings in the short and long channels every two minuter, to enable Mr Simpson to ascerta u which channel could be the quicker dredged, so as to enable the Interprovinciai st,e/iciers to come up to town It was found that iho channel woulo require the deepest dredging, ihe Peninsula aud the dredge are to tie taken Into the Graving Bock to-night. The following announcements appear in to-day’s * G zette’ :—“ ihe months of December, IB7d, January and Febru ry, 875. shall he an open season for brown trout fishing by rod in the following stream*, namely: —Waitati Kiver, idiag Hivcr, Kakanu< iver, Island Stream, Waikouaiti River. Water of Leith, and Fulton’s Greek. West I'ai ri ; but no person shall be allowed to fish for brown trout by rod as aforesaid without first obtaining a license so to do under th-; nand of the Provincial Treasurer of the Province of Utago, and for every such license there £h a ll be paid by the party applying for the same the sum of LI. JNo person shall be allowed t<? use any pet for the purpose of fishing at or near the mouths pf streams or rivers on the northern seaboard, frpni i dago Harbor to the Waitaki, during the months of November and December, 1874, rnd January. February, March, April, and May, 1875.” Mr James VVheaTey has been appointed ranger for the Acclimatisation Society in terms of section 31 of the Protection of

-uimals Act, 1873, over the district lying between the Horse Range and the Waitaki, and ten miles back from the coast. Mr Charles Anderson, inspector of sheep at Invercargill, has been appointed a cattle inspector for the district of Southland.

The letter of C. Syeuce can only be inserted as an advertisement;

A convention of the various 1.0.G.T, Lodges will he held in the Temperance Hall on Friday evening.

The plan of seats at the Queen’s Theatre, for Madame Goddard’s conceit op Friday, was opened this morning, and in loss than an hour every seat in the circle was engaged. In consequence, the front rows of the stalls have been thrown open as reserved seats.

On Saturday afternoon the Artillery Band will perform the following selections at the Southern recreation ground :—March, “Napoleon’s Troupe Quadrilles;” selection froin Mantua;’ “Serenade Waltzes;” ’‘Snowdrop Galop;” “Frozen Fountain Polka;” selection, “ Songs of Ireland ;” “ Husmenots Quadrilles ; ’ ami selections from “ Norma.”