The Standard AND PEOPLES ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.) WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1874.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 185, 8 July 1874, Page 2

The Standard AND PEOPLES ADVOCATE. (PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY.)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1874.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We .hall deny to no man justice or right:« We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

Thanks to the weather and Captain Lloyd’s usual consideration, we have not, until lately, had much to complain of with respect to the mail contract between the General Government aud the New Zealand Steam Shipping Company. Considering all the circumstances of our isolated position and open roadstead, the passages of the Rangatira have been made, as a rule, with very tolerable punctuality ; and in the same proportion has the Company earned its mail subsidy with equally agreeable pleasantness and economy, both as regards time and cash. If, therefore, the Company, has run its boat continuously under such favorable circumstances, and with something more than average good luck, a little consideration ought to be shewn by the management to the consignees of goods when unlooked-for obstacles, and adverse circumstances intervene. We desire to draw the attention of the Company and its Agents to this matter ; and to the great inconvenience that has been caused by the fact that during the last two or three trips of the Rangatira she has left us without landing cargo, for we should be wanting in our proper duty were we not to seek redress for the one-sided bargains which seem to be made in our sea-carrying trade generally. Had Captain Lloyd felt that another 12 hours’ detention of his vessel would have dovetailed with his sailing instructions, this would have been done; business people would have got possession of their goods, and much commercial inconvenience obviated. As it was, Captain Lloyd said he must be in Napier so as to

leave again for Wellington on Monday last, and away he went, cargo and all. Had Captain Lloyd been fret to carry out what he evidently considered was due as a concession to the community, a great boon would have bben conferred, for on Monday the bay was smooth, and a light land breeze would have facilitated the landing. The N.Z.S 8. Company should not overlook the fact that the trade, and passenger traffic have increased very much since it took up the running on this coast. We hear that a large quantity of cargo, on the last two or three trips of the Rangatira, has been shut out at Wellington, 'both for Napier and Gisborne ; we also learn upon good authority that another boat might be placed upon the line with profit; and as we feel bound to make these remarks in the interests of the port, we trust that the Company will see it to be a mutual advantage to allow the Captains of their vessels visiting Poverty Bay a reasonable margin of discretion to act according as circumstances require.

Cognate to the foregoing subject is one about the mails. On Sunday last we felt the full force of the new Post-office regime. Mr. Grubb, the obliging Postmaster from Napier, arrived by the Rangatira on Sunday, for the purpose of opening the new building erected as a s>st-offiee in Gisborne. He did so on onday morning, and we have witnessed the good results of this arrangement. We are also thankful to the Government for tliis small mercy, and think it has made a wise selection in sending Mr. Grubb to inaugurate a system of official routine here. But it occurs to us that the. spur was used a little too severely, before Mr. Grubb had got well into the saddle. We refer to the non-delivery of letters on Sunday afternoon. We are quite aware of the regulations against Sunday delivery; and, as a rule, we desire to respect them. But circumstances alter cases; and a little lightening of the load of red tape sometimes is desirable. The Rangatira brought, besides an English and Australian Mail, Provincial Mails from both North and South; and as the steamer did not leave until late at night, some few hours’ grace would have saved a-week’s delay—i m the case of English advices, more still. In an out-of-the-way place such as the port of Gisborne is just Dow,—forgotten on sea and neglected on land; with an I irregular mail service and no telegraph— I the Government would do a simple act of I justice in permitting their Post official to deliver letters only, on Sundays, if he is I willing to do so, and if it can be shown I that such would be a matter of value to I the community. Mr. Gbubb, however, I merely did his duty in closing the Post[office; but as the steamer was leaving, | before Monday morning the disappoint|ment was felt to be somewhat unnecesj sarily caused.