The Globe. FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1875.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 194, 22 January 1875, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1875.

At the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce yesterday Mr L. E. Nathan made some remarks with regard to the necessity of having a steam-tug in Port Lyttelton. This want has long been felt by the shipping community, and we wonder that the subject has not received consideration before this time. The necessity for a powerful steam tug in a harbour like that of Lyttelton cannot be denied, and every northeaster that blows shows how urgently such a boat is required, Mr Macpberson told the meeting that the Otago Government subsidised a steamer for towage purposes at £I2OO per annum. The amount of subsidy which it would be necessary to hold out as an inducement to the owners of suitable steamers to provide a tug for Lyttelton harbor, would not require to be nearly so large as the sum we have mentioned as being appropriated to this purpose by the Otago Government. There would not be nearly so much Government work for a tug to do as there is at Port Chalmers, and we think that the outside work which the owners of the tug could do when not employed on Government service, would be almost constant and certainly remunerative. Various accidents have lately happened in Port Lyttelton from the want of a suitable steam vessel for harbour purposes, and the time has come when the number of vessels arriving and departing from the port, renders the presence of a steam vessel on the scene absolutely necesgary. That such a vessel in receipt of a moderate subsidy, which would hardly be grudged by the present Government, would pay the proprietors handsomely, we have no doubt, and that she has not long ago been placed on the waters of the port is astonishing. The matter is now in the hands of the committee of the Chamber of Commerce, and we trust shortly to hear that they have made the necessary arrangements for supplying what has long been such a palpable want to the chief harbour of the provine.