PILOT SERVICE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4420, 20 May 1875, Page 2

PILOT SERVICE.

.TO THE EDITOR. / ‘ ? Sir, —I am sorry that Captain-Davies has sailed, as lam quite sure lie would willingly have replied to 1 Pilot Holmes’s letter. For the present we are loft in the. dark. With, reference to his reply to my letter, he states that tho Weymouth ran' in daring ? a S.E. gale, when a boat could not live outside. If so, why did he state to the New Zealand Times that he boarded the vessel outside the Heads, which caused tho master to write denying such to be. the case? Captain Mitchell, of the Langstone, was so annoyed at the manner in which he. was treated that he wrote a letter to the New Zealand Times and the Evening Post. Both papers, however, declined to publish it, as it was considered rather strong, but which X believe stated facts. I will allow, that the Strathnaver was well outside the reef, if the Court said so. . From the report of the May, it seems she was off the Heads the night before she came into port, and kept dolging close to, burning blue lights for the -pilot; but none came. About four years ago the Gloucester, a vessel from London, arrived off the Heads at night, aud made tho usual signals, which were not answered. Tho master then beat his vessel safely into the harbor, not having been seen by the pilot. Now, air, I think that as complaints are being made every year about the pilot service, the Government ought to look into tho matter at once, and not allow their servants to enter into a newspaper war. . Again, if the present boats are not suitable for going outside in heavy weather, why cannot the pilots complain? The crew at the station are quite strong enougli to work a smart cutter. The only expense would be the cost of the vessel.

In conclusion, I trust that something will be done in the matter; if not, we may wake some morning to find that an emigrant ship has gone ashore at the Heads, and many lives lost, “ all through not being seen by the pilot.”—l am, &c., Poneke.