OUR FERRY BOATS.

Evening Star, Issue 20061, 29 December 1928, Page 2

OUR FERRY BOATS.

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,—Allow me a little space to air what I consider a very bad grievance. On Boxing Day the Ferry Company had the following notice up on the Dunedin wharf; “ Boats will leave Portobello at 7.30 p.m.” Other departures were stated also, but as the time referred to suited our party, I will only mention that boat. Wo all arrived at Ross’s Point in good time to catch the 7.30 p.m. boat from Portobello, which only takes a few minutes to roach the point, wo waited till half past 8, but no boat arrived. Thinking it was delayed someway or other, and as it was very cold waiting, we decided to walk on to Broad Bay and got the boat there. Imagine bur dismay, after all the above waiting, etc., to hear at ;Broad Bav that the boat was tied up at Portobello wharf, and didn’t intend running the 7.30 p.m. trip, as there were not enough passengers. Yet''we had all got return tickets in the morning on the understanding that we would be brought back on the 7.30 p.m. boat. Wo had to wait and take the quarter to 10 bus at Broad Bay to get back to town, which meant extra money besides the annoyance of the long wait. Is that a fair proposition? Is it any wonder the ferry boats are not paying when they won’t study the public? I have' heard since the Ferry Company often does this sort of trick. If anything unforseen happens that the boats couldn’t leave Portobello, is there no way of notifying the people at the different bays?, I would suggest putting a notice up on the jetties, and then intending passengers would know whether to wait or ndt. I consider it up to the owners of the ferry boats to explain themselves.—l am, etc., Fair Play is Bonny Play. Dunedin, December 28.