LOSS OF LIFE IN THE HARBOR.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4214, 22 September 1874, Page 3

LOSS OF LIFE IN THE HARBOR.

10 THE EDITOR. Sxk, —Again we have the tale which appears so frequently in the Wellington papers—a seaman missing ; then some time after a body discovered in the water or on tho beach in such a position as to lead everyone to suppose the poor fellow must have fallen off the wharf or the breastwork between the weigh-bridge and Mills's foundry. One cannot have read the shipping reports lately without being struck by the great number of casualties occurring on tho voyages to these parts ; these are the ordinary risks seamen are prepared to ram in the discharge of their duty ; but the deaths from drowning in the port of Wellington far exceed those occurring on the outward and homeward voyages from this port. I believe the wharf is leased from tho City Council, and I suppose Councillors are elected to carry on the business for the benefit of their fellow-townsmen. lam sure it is not the wish .of one of the inhabitants of this town that for the sake of a few pounds we should hear of the death of one of our fellow-creatures every two or three months, as has been the case lately. It is a disgrace and scandal to all concerned. One occasionally hears remarks to the effect, “ Oh, it was a drunken sailor ;” but surely the most intolerant teetotaller will not turn round and say that is any reason why tho most ordinary precautions should not he taken to ensure his safety. Ido not think drunken seamen are as common as drunken landsmen now-a-days. I venture to say that the seamen in Her Majesty’s service are ns sober as any men in tho same station of life, and I believe a corresponding improvement has taken place amongst those in the merchant service. There are two ways. of avoiding these accidents ; perhaps that recommended by Captain Holliday (Harbormaster) would be the cheapest and safest, though it might give a little ext. a trouble—that is, to put up a high fence with large gates, and a wicket-gate at the beginning of the wharf, so that no one could go on to the wharf after a certain hour without being seen by the watchman, who would have to open the gate. It should be the watchman’s duty to take the necessary steps for their safety, either byrefusing admission if they were intoxicated, or else by seeing them safe on board their ships. The second way would he to adopt the plan in use in all Her Majesty’s Dockyards—have iron stanchions fitting into sockets with chains hooked up between them. These can be unshipped at any place where it is required for work during the day, and it should be the duty of the watchman to see them all hooked up when he came on duty. Whatever plan may be adopted for the wharf stanchions, chains ought to be put up on the breastwork from the weigh-bridge to Mills’s Foundry. After the last accident of this kind, I remember seeing letters and articles about it. What good have they done ? I suppose this will do as much ; but on behalf of seamen who have business on the wharf, X appeal through your columns to the City Council to take some steps for the security of those who have to go on the wharf on dark nights. If it is not their duty let them state it publicly, and let us find out whose duty it is to prevent this sad loss of life.—l am, &0,, J. Dudley It. Hewitt, Commander, B.N. Wellington, Sept. 21.