CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1228, 19 December 1882, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed bj- our correspondents]. :o: TO THE ED-TOK. Sir, —Will you be good enough to permit me by the use of your valuable columns, to point out what in my opinion, and in the opinion of several of my fellow travellers, by the Union Steam Company’s Rotomahana, on her last trip from Napier, was a most eggregious display of ignorance and arrogance. I, in company with several more passengers had our tickets for Gisborne, and we naturally thought that we might be allowed to sit at the saloon table to enjoy our meals. But alas for our expectations. After taking our seats we were informed by one of the “flunkies ” on board that those seats were “ reserved ” for Mr So-and-so, and Mr Somebody else ; so my friend and myself, not wishing to create any disturbance before ladies, had no alternative but to retire until the “ lions ” had been fed. We were simply ousted from our seats. 1, for one, was not aware that there were “reserved ” seats in the saloon of a coastal steamer, but we all learn by experience. I could have quite understood it if it was a question of ladies being provided with a seat at the table, and both my friend and myself would have given place, but it is the first time in my experience that I ever knew or heard of men having to make room for snobs. We all pay the same price, so 1 do not see why flesh should be made of one and fowl of another. There was a crowd of passengers, and there was not even berth accommodation. I should ask the Company to look at the number of passengers daily ar riving at this port, and say whether it is right or proper that they should be treated in this manner. I, for one, think not, and I am certain that you will be of the same opinion. I do not wish to blame Captain Underwood in this matter, but 1 think the head steward might have prevented certain disagreeable matters whicli occurred on our passage from Napier to Gisborne, We hope soon to see a certain change in our shipping arrangements, and it is high time,—Yours, &c., Passenger,