PUBLIC OPINION.

Patea Mail, 14 June 1882, Page 2

PUBLIC OPINION.

■ v r —r- —— Contributions, Letters, Inquiries and Answees thereto, are invited on Fanning, Commerce, Politics, and matters of interest to the Patea district. Names of writers need not be Printed. ,-' ■ WAVERLEY CRITICS. I am astonished to see “ your own correspondent ” has found it necessary to question the correctness of some report of the late concert here. lam sure that he will allow bowlings and catcalls to be small indications of an appreciative while the excuse of being unprepared gives little credit to performers who are to be the attraction, two and sixpence being charged for tho pleasure of hearing these vocalists. X consider that the writer of the strictures on the singing let the performers off very easily, and hope his criticism may lead our local performers to remember that “ anything will ?io< do.” Semi-Quaveb.

jatea Harbor BoaM. hm^rndirEtiTy-meeting was held on Monday. Present, Messrs Coutts (in the chair), Newland, Horner, Peacock, Adams, G-. W. Gane, and Aitchison.

COMPLAINT against the PILOT. The manager of the Patea S.S. Coy. wrote to the Board as follows : “ I am instructed by my directors to call the attention of your Board to the unaccountable behavior of the Pilot at this port on a late occasion, with regard to allowing the s.s. Wakatu to enter and leave the river at the captain’s own risk, without expressing an opinion as to the danger or otherwise of so doing. The director’s thought it necessary to communicate the conduct of the Pilot to the Insurance Company interested in the risk in the Wakatu, and also to ask the advice of our solicitors on the subject; and as you will observe from copies of letters enclosed, they both agree that your Board is the responsible party in the matter, the Pilot being under the Board’s direction. So it is evidently, therefore, the province of the Board to take such action as it may consider necessary to protect the interests of the port and the public generally. “I would respectfully point out that it is very detrimental to the interest of the town and district (as I stated in a previous communication) that vessels should be refused admission to the river, and it would no doubt be a loss to all concerned, but it appears to the directors that the Pilot is placed in his position for guiding and assisting vessels in safety to the best of his ability, and cannot delegate his re- > sponsibility to masters of vessels, as in the instance quoted.' I would also wish '.farther to refer the Board to the captains of the Clyde and Lyttelton for further information as to error of judgment on the part of the Pilot on one of the occasions above referred to, there being, as I understand, 7ft. 95n. of"water on the bar' when he signalled “ bar dangerous” to the Lyttelton (which she declined to heed), and “ take bar at own risk” to the Wakatu, both vessels having at the same time a very light draught. “The directors further wish respectfully to remind the Board of the decision of the Court of Enquiry at the wreck of the s.s. Patea, which Court clearlj', justly, and strongly reprimanded the. Pilot for want of judgment displayed on that occasion, although having no power directly to take further action. It was thought that the Board would have considered it necessary to have instituted some inquiry after such a decision. The directors would therefore respectfully request the Board fully to consider the instances quoted, and to take such necessary action for the welfare of the town and district as it may deem desirable.”

Opinion of Insurance Company. The manager Patea S.S. Coy. also wrote to the manager South British Insurance Coy., stating the circumstances, and asking “ How would the insurance stand affected If any harm came to the vessel ?” The Insurance Company replied thus : “Before replying to your query re the action taken by the Patea pilot, I placed your letter before Mr Seed, in charge of the Marine Department. He stated that as the pilot was ruled by the Patea Harbor Board, the Government could not take any steps ; but that, if any pilot under the control of the Government conducted himself in such a manner, he would be dismissed. Perhaps the Patea Board will instruct the pilot to act differently in future. It rather me to read your letter, as I always understood that when the pilot took charge of a boat, the captain was relieved of all responsibility of navigation. The insurance of the Wakatu is effected at our Nelson branch, and I cannot tell you positively what view our Nelson agents would .take of an accident (?) happening under such circumstances as you detail ; but my impression is that your policy would probably be vitiated. I will send our Nelson agents a copy of your letter, and of this, and ask them to address you. <

Legal Opinion. Messrs Izard & Bell, Wellington, had, also advised the Patea Company as follows : “ We beg to acknowledge 1 the receipt of your letter of the 26th instant. We think your proper course is to represent the facts to the Patea Harbor Board; whose servant the pilot is. In his neglect of duty, the Board would probably sharply reprimand him or dismiss him. It may be that if the master of the Wakatu were to lose his vessel whilst entering the harbor, owing to the neglect of duty by

the Inrbor muster, that an ■ action would lie a;' inst the Board. The difficulty,'however, would be that, the Board would set up as a defence that the master ought not to have risked his vessel by entering without prbper signals, and that there was what the law calls contributory neglect on his part. The same observation applies to the question of insurance. In case of loss, ho doubt the insurance company would allege that the master ought to have waited outside, and not risked his vessel. In both cases, though the Company 'might succeed in recovering damages, it could only be after litigation which would be long and expensive, and the result of which Would be dubious. If, however, the Company make a formal complaint to the Board, and, the Board allows the present harbor master to retain his present office* the case of the Company would be materially strengthened by such a complaint having been made. We think, in fact, that the master by entering without signal jeopardises the insurance, and that if the'vessel be lost there would be a good claim against the Board, but it would be a long and troublesome lawsuit.”

The Board’s Action; Chairman : I think we should defer the consideration of the important question raised in this letter. A pilot ought to be able to say Yes or No when a vessel is waiting to take the bar. I have learnti since the wreck of the Patea, and since the Wakatu was allowed to come in at the captain’s risk, that if the pilot goes outside of his duties, the Board are responsible because he is our servant. I find that the pilot must say that the bar is safe or that it is not safe. There is no such thing as taking the bar at your own risk ; ;and if the pilot does riot understand his duty on that point, he will have to-be told.

Mr Adams : I think a committee should be appointed to consider this letter and report on the question raised in it. The matter was adjourned to a future day, Saturday next being understood. ‘

HOW TO RAISE £40,000 TOR Harbor Improvements.

A lettersent by Mr Houghton suggested to the Board a scheme for raising probably £40,000, by applying to the Government for one or two land blocks up the Pntea river in exchange for land taken by Government and reserves depreciated to the value of £4,000; such blocks to be made accessible for settlement by getting conservancy powers to make the river navigable, thereby greatly increasing the value of land, and promoting settlement of the back country. The letter describing this scheme in detail was printed in Monday’s Mail. Mr Horner : Has the petition for compensation been sent ? Chairman : Yes ; Major Atkinson telegraphed that it was presented to the House on the 23rd May, and is to go before the Petitions Committee ; that he will attend to it, and if further evidence be required he will wire. The Committee have not sat yet, so far as the Chairman knew. He asked what should be done about evidence, if it were required. This point was discussed, a motion and amendment being moved, and hot remarks exchanged about nothing. Eventually a motion was carried authorising the Chairman to go to Wellington or to send witnesses, according to his discretion. The suggested scheme was mentioned as a reason for postponing any action about the petition ; but the above course being agreed to by a majority, the scheme for taking coraensation in a different manner was deferred for consideration at the adjourned meeting on Saturday.

Mr Aitchison : It seems to me this is a very large question, and I hope you will give it consideration. If the land up the river is wortfy anything at all, this scheme if worth considering. Mr Gane : We ought to have time to look into it. We don’t want to leave it to another month : that is why I proposed an adjournment to Saturday next. Chairman : Members have got printed copies of the scheme, and I hope you will consider it.

The Pilot’s monthly report showed a great improvement in the bar, the depth last spring tides being 12ft (usually lift), and width of channel between wall and spit 106 feet. Correspondence was read relating to Crown grants for harbor reserves, and other minor matters.

An account from A. D. Willis, stationer, claiming 16s 6d for a polygraph copying case supplied to tbe Board two years ago on the late Chairman’s order, was .again sent in.

The Secretary explained that he understood the late Chairman had taken it for his own use, and intended paying for it. Mr Willis had sent his account to the late Chairman, but not being paid had again came on the Board for payment. Several members spoke warmly about the disgrace of such an account standing against the Board unpaid.

Resolved, on the motion of Mr Aitchison, seconded by Mr Horner, “ That the late Chairman be asked for an explanation re Mr Willis’s account, and if he says the polygraph is the Board’s property, the clerk be empowered to pay the account at once, and request the return of the article

in question. Agreed to fence in the flagstaff, to prevent cattle damaging the foundation. The Board adjourned to Saturday.