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Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 778, 12 January 1871, Page 2

The brigantine Prosperity, and the schooner Aborigine, from Melbourne, were towed into Hokitika on ', uesday. They were taken in by the south channel, and moored at the new upper wharf. The brig Magnet from Melbourne is now hourly expected to put in an appearance in v the roadstead. The schooner Isabella, coal-laden, was towed to sea by the p s Dispatch on Tuesday, bound for Hokitika, and the same evening was at anchor in that roadstead, and was towed in yesterday morning by the s.s. Waipara. The s.s. Omeo is expected to arrive from Melbourne direct this morning. She will take passengers for all New Zealand ports, and also for Melbourne via the Bluff. The steamer Charles Edward arrived here on Tuesday at 10.30 am., having left Nelson on Saturday last at 10 p.m. with full cargo and tifty^four passengers Experienced light wind and rain, arriving off Westport at 5.30 p.ra. en Sunday, and crossng the bar at 9.30. Landed thirty-five passengers and thirty tons of cargo, ami left at 11 p.m. on Monday for Greymouth. Had tine weather and smooth water on the passage down, aud arrived here at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. She brought twenty passengers and a lar^e cargo for this port, and sailed 0.. Wednesday morniug at eleven with a large number of passengers for Hokitika, whence she returns here to-day en route for Westport and Nelaun. A very unfortunate accident occurred to the schooner Lady Bird on Sunday evening. She was moored off the corner of the Reclaimed Land, close in shore, and in shallow water to be out of the way of shipping. An unexpected shift of the light easterly wind which prevailed on Suuday, set her across her anchor, and as the tide receded she gradually settled down upon it a portion of it going through her bottom. One or more of her compartments tilled, but the water was too Bhallow to allow her to sink. There is no difficulty in the way of pumping her oat, and when this is accomplished, she will bo taken round to the slip and have the hole patched up. — Wellington Evening Pont, Jan. The Government has been guilty of another act of extravagant folly in appointing a Coast Pilot for the Stn Fraacisco mail steamers. It is true the salary is only L6OO a-year, but then there is not the slightest necessity for it. How one folly begets another. The Government weakly yielded to the clamour of the Otago members, and insisted that the mail steamers should coast down from Aucklaud to Port Chalmers, and now a pilot has been appointed to sail them. It was at first a most senseless proceeding to require vessels of such large tonnage^ after reaching Auckland, to extend a long voyage by adding to it another 600 miles, when the passengers and cargo to be conveyed could be as well carried at half the expense. For this, too, the Colony must pay ; and then comes L6OO a-year to a pilot to sail these vessels. But where is the need of a pilot ? There are no hidden dargers on the coast. Every harbor to be visited has its lighthouse, and its expensive harbor and pilot establishment. Supposing it to have been necessary to send a pilot from Auckland to Otago with the steamers on their first trips, it was not necessary to continue such an office. If the Nebraska, and other steamers employed in the service, caD be piloted safely by their commanders among the coral reefs of the Pacific Islauds, they will surely be safe in the same command on the open coast of New Zealand. The Panama steamers entered Wellington harbor at all hours and in all weathers, thei where is the necessity of this new pilot appointment I— Nelson Efaaminer.