Shipping Intelligence.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 738, 25 November 1869, Page 2

Shipping Intelligence.

PORT OP AHUEIRI.

arrivals. NOVEMBER.

22—Colonist, schooner, 42 tons, Wm. Jones, from Poverty Bay 22—Coquette, schooner, 40 tons, Matheson, from Bussell. Bay of Islands, with 80 tons coal 25—Wellington, s.s., 262 tons, F. Holmes, from Auckland

PASSENGER LIST. INWARDS. In the Colonist— Major Westrupp, Messrs. Raymond, Johnston, Wallace, M'Kenzio, Hardy, and Hamon

EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Chile, ship, 768 tons, from London via Auckland Eagle, s.s., from Wellington Flying Squirrel, ketch, from Dunedin Hero, schooner, from Wairoa . Jennie Ellingwood, barque, from Port Chalmers Mahia, cutter, from Wairoa Star of the South, s.s., from Auckland VESSELS IN HARBOR. Colonist, schooner, from Poverty Bay Coquette, schooner, Horn Bussell, Bay of Islands Mary Ann. brigantine, from Newcastle B. T. Turnbull, barque, 367 tons, Gumming, from London Wellington, s.s., from Auckland PROJECTED DEPARTURES. For London— B. T. Turnbull, barque, early Wf.li.ington —Wellington, this day Auckland— Eagle, on Friday, and Coquette on Saturday Poverty Bay— Colonist, this evening Newcastle, N.S.W. —Mary Ann, on Saturday

Arrival of the schooner Colonist. The schooner Colonist, Captain W. Jones, from Poverty Bay, in ballast, arrived in port at 9 a.m. on Monday last. She left Turanganui at G p.rn. on Saturday, and had fine weather throughout. Seven passsengers arrived by this opportunity. The Colonist, we learn, leaves for Poverty Bay this evening.

Arrival of the schooner Coquette. The schooner Coquette, Captain Matheson, from Russell, Bay of Islands, with 80 tons of coal for Mr C. H. Weber, arrived in port at 10 a.m. on Monday last. Reports leaving Russell at noon on the 13th inst,, with S. winds ; rounded the East Cape at G p.m. on the 18th, with light variable winds; passed Portland Island on Sunday, the 31st, and arrived in port as above. Saw (lie brig Maggie olf Cape Kidnappers on Monday morning. The Coquette will leave for Auckland direct on or about Saturday next, 37th iust.

Miscellaneous. The brigantine Mary Ann was brought inside on Monday morning, and moored alongside the new Government wharf. The Mary Aim will leave for Newcastle, N.S.W., on or about Saturday next, 27 1 b inst.

The s.s. Eagle, due here from Wellington this day, will steam for Auckland to-morrow (Friday.) The [I. S. barque Jennie Elliugwood, Captain Marshall, it will be seen by advertisement, will load wool for London from this port this season. She may be expected to arrive from Port Chalmers in a few days, and comes consigned to Messrs Kinross & Co.

The s.s. Wellington, from Auckland, arrived in port at an early hoar this morning. She will have quick despatch for Wellington and Southern Ports.

The s.s. S'fir of the South may he expected to ai rive here this evening, as she was to have leit Auckland at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Colonial Government schooner Edith.

The following' remarks appear in a recent issue of the .Evening Post: —

“ Most of our readers are aware that (lie General Government a short time ago purchased a schooner to be used for surveying purposes on the coast; but they will learn with surprise that she has been converted into a man-of-war, and that New Zealand may now boast of her fleet as well as of her demilitarized army, diet such is the fact, according to the .Southern Cross; that journal publishing in its shipping report the arrival of her Majesty’s gun-boat Edith, Commander George A. Woods, R.N., flying the New Zealand flag and Commander Wood’s pennant. Our contemporary says that, being the first Colonial man-of-war that has entered Auckland harbor, she will likely attract crowds of visitors, for whose accomodation she, will be open till the 13th. Now, really is not this a monstrous piece of humbug? What claim has a little fore-and-aft pilot boat, intended for surveying purposes, to be called a man-of-war P or what right has Commander Woods to ily a pennant, and give himself the airs of an Admiral, when the whole Colony knows that his own rank and that of his vessel are alike fictitious ? The purchase of the Edith at first was an unnecessary expenditure of public money, and at a time, too, when it could very ill be spared. The St. Kilda, now lying idle at the wharf, was quite sufficient for any surveying requirements we might possess, and in the opinion of nautical men would have been cheaper and better for the purpose than the schooner. Besides, there is no urgent necessity for fresh surveys being made at all at present. The coast is sufficiently known for the purposes of navigation where ordinary prudence is used, and we have more important calls upon the public purse which are unattended to. All our money is required for improving the interior of the country, putting down disturbance and sowing the seeds of prosperity—matters of vital interest to us. The coast can do very well as it is in the meantime. When we become rich, have paid off our debts, and can boast of superfluous thousands to our credit, then we can afford elaborate hydrographical surveys delineated on highly ornamental maps and charts, and forwarded for approval to the Admiralty. We may also then keep a dandy marine surveyor afloat in a highly ornamented vessel, cruising round the coast under a pennant and doing the grand; but in the meantime, while large tracts of our country are lying waste for want of the means of internal communication, while the war is yet smouldering, and the turf is scarcely green on the graves of our murdered fel-low-settlers, we have neither the money nor the inclination to indulge in such tomfoolery.” The Government, we believe, paid the enormouse sum of £3,500 for the Edith, which was •purchased in New South Wales. Now, had a vessel for surveying or any other purposes been really necessary—which, we agree with the Post, was not the case—as good, if not a better, craft might have been procured within the Colony for half the sum which we have reason to believe was paid for the “ fore-and-aft pilot boat.” So much for the much vaunted desire of the Government to “ encourage local industries.”