The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1912.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3705, 14 December 1912, Page 6

The Gisborne Times . PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1912.

It will bo noted from an advertisement appearing in this issue that the Chamber of Commerce is making a strong appeal to the pubne in connection with the lately inaugurated ferry service. As is pointed out by that body the service ' ill, if it becomes permanent do more than anything else that is possible at the present time to remove the re- j proach, and great inconvenience, of I die comparative isolation under which diis important town and district would again have to endure should it have to be discontinued. For our own part wo can only say that we heartily join in the Jiopo that everything possible will bo done by the people of Poverty Pay (whom it must not he forgotten hav* most to gain in the matter) to induce the IT.S.S. Co. to keep the s.s. j Takapuna on the ferry service. During the short period that the service, has been in operation it has unquestionably been found to lie a great boon by a large number of the travelling public. It would, however, be ridiculous for anyone to suggest that the amount of patronage which has been extended in connection with the service has mad? th» cun a payable one

“An Appeal to the Public.’’

for the company concerned. As time goes on—should tne .service be maintained —larger numbers would, of course, get into the way of travelling by the s.s. Takapuna, which, besides being a splendid sea boat, does not require to Ire tendered in the roadstead, but can land her passengers right rip at the wharf. By many people it is perhaps not fully understood that it is a'stroke of good for-tiu-3 that such a capital boat should have been placed on the run. Originally built for the passenger service beai and Onehunga the a good turn of speed rily much faster than, ira, and if pushed can ? vessels as the MonoId koia. In regard to s, of course, necessary ide at this end, but even so it is confidently expected that only on a very rare occasion should the ferry boat miss the train connection at Napier. So far the connection has been missed only once, and it was quite excusable that morning for the boat had been greatly delayed in order to suit the convenience of the Napier Amateur Operatic Society. If we remember aright, too, the connection on that single occasion

was missed by only tbe brief space of 20 minutes or so! There has been a suggestion in connection with the service, it may aleu be mentioned, that it might ire more convenient if the s.s. Takapuna were to leave Gisborneon Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays instead of Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The difficulty that would accrue, however, if such an alteration were made, would, it will he seen, that in addition to the ft-..y boat clashing with the intercolonial service twice a week as at present—one on the up journey and once the down trip—the Saturday night boat would he of service only to people going as far as Napier, for those who were destined for. more .southern town would, if they travelled on that trip, find themselves compelled to stop over Sunday at Napier. As things stand at present the busy season at Christmas and New Year should go a long way towards making up any deficit that may have resulted on the service up till that time. In directing attention again to the service we sincerely trust that its value will be fully appreciated by the travelling public, who should, if they are anxious to see it maintained, give it preference whenever possible.