VIA 'FRISCO.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 140, 5 June 1876, Page 2

VIA 'FRISCO.

To the Editor op the 'Evening Mail.' Sib — As a brief account by a Ne'son man of a trip by the San Francisco boat? may prove Interesting to 3 our readers, I would state we have hid a very pleasant passage since we left Auckland, and are now entering KandavHu, expect to get in by two o'clock, and leave agiiin at f >ur. The Zcalandhi is a very fine steamer, with nplendid accommodation, out the New Zealand passengers have great reason to complain r; specting the way in which the cabins have been allotted. It was telegraphed that 80 berths were to be reserved on ihe port fcide lor New Z u aland passengers. Wbeu I went to the offlue in Auckland to secure my cabin, I was informed that their clerk had gone on board the Zealan ia to »S"eruiin what cubing were reserved. 1 Wftß recommend* d by a ge tleman who came irom Sydney to try and get his cabin whlh was a deck cabin on the port side. I immediately returned to the office to lecuro the same, but was told that all the deck cabins were engfiged, and tliatit I wanted one I must pay £20 oxtrn. after having already pail £80 for one in Wellington when I secured my parage. I had no alternative but to take one of the lower cabins (not on the port side) thnt was disengaged. While on board, l founii that nearly all t.ie cabins that were reserved for New Zealand were oecupiid by Sydney

passengers. I alio found that the cabins were not allotted to them in Sydney, but were occupied by them at Auckland and allotted when in New Zenland ! This is a very nice way to treat New Zealand passengers. Ido not know, who is to, blame — the purser or the agents in Auckland. The feeling with the New Zear land passengers is that the agent at Auckland should have claimed tho accommodation that was reserved for New Zealand passengers, as there was plenty of room for all the Sydney passengers on the side reserved for them — there are 75 in all, and there is accommodation for 84. The table on board this boat, reserved for the New Zealand passengers, is not n'arly so well kept as one would expect. The food is badly cooked, and put on the table cold or nearly so, and the supply is very scanty.— l am, &c , I J. B. Dodsok.