The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1862.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 12, 19 December 1862, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1862.

If in the course of two or three months from the present time, the goldfields in the South of Otago should attract to these shores a few more thousands of miners, we foresee plainly that the Invercargill jetty, improvements and all, will afford inadequate landing accommodation for the increased imports which will follow as a natural consequence. "We have, in former issues of this journal, pointed out the advantages of the cartage over the truckage system, and the events which the last few days have brought forth have tendered considerably to strengthen the 3pinious "we then expressed. We are not exaggerating when we say, that the rush to the Wakatip has made very considerable inroads on Invercargill stocks, so much so, Unit some descriptions of goods are no longer obtainable in this market, and, therefore, before long, large supplies from other places will make their appearance as a matter beyond question. Let us now pay a visit to the jetty and see what arrangements are being made for this anticipated influx. First of all, there exists the old single line, found utterly inadequate even at the present time, besides which, to meet the daily increasing wants of the community, contracts have been entered into for widening the original jetty, the intention of the Government being, we suppose, to lay dow.) a second line of rails. Even with this addition the amount of accommodation will fall far short of the requirements of the public. Let us glance at the state of affairs in Dunedin, during the first days of the ooldfields. where at that time the old D "

jetty had a double line ot rails. We have known cases, in those days, of lighters being detained for a. period of three weeks ere they could discharge, much to the disgust of consignees, and loss and inconvenience to the public generally — each boat having to wait its turn.

So great at one tune was the inconvenience, that, in the month of Jiinimry last, v great number oi' the masters oi"

lighters " struck for increased rates, finding that 30s. per ton from Port Chalmers did not compensate for the time lost iv wearisome delay after their crafts were safely alongside the jetty. Had the latter been wider, and carts used instead of trucks, all this delay would have been avoided. The Provincial Government of the day, acting, of course, at the suggestion of the mercantile community, determined that on the construction of an entirely new jetty, the evils of the old system should cease, the result of which has been that twenty carts are now employed where formerly three or four found a diilieulty, owing to the truckage system, in getting loaded. Let us hope that the merchants, who are now thoroughly alive to the growing importance of this place, will bring all their inilucnce to bear to induce the Provincial Government to alter their original intention ; and let us hope that the Government, profiting by the experience of Dunedin. will cause the jetty to be widened sufficiently to admit of the use of carts, and no longer adhere to a system which has proved itself so lamentably

delictent,