THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10210, 12 April 1911, Page 5

THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

COMMUNICATION TO BE STOPPED.

A resident of the Chatham Islands, writing to the Wairarapa Age, says: —This is a lonely, cxi*-off-from-tho-world place at any time, but, from the present outlook it will soon be more so. The steamer company tiiat at present .brings mails and supplies and- takes away wool and stock, is relinquishing the contract in a few days. Then where shall we be ? Luckily the fishing industry brings other steamers down, but they carry no ■stores or passengers. The fact is that if anyone wishes to go to New Zealand, they cannot, neither can anyone from New Zealand visit these islands. The mails will be brought by fits and starts, just whenever a fishing boat is coming down. That is surely not an it should be. Tho Chatham Islander has to do without very many of the commonest conveniences and privileges of everyone in New Zealand. It will surely be rubbing it in too hard to let our mails become so irregular and uncertain as that. If you take into consideration that all we were entitled to before was a mail every two months, the injustice of the thing is manifest. I believe the last contract for the mails was at the rate of £350 per annum. That s?ems sufficient for six trips a year. However, though tilings look blaek now, perhaps they may mend in the near future. There are rumours to that effect, but Chatham Island rumours are notoriously unreliable.