She is registered to carry 130 passengers, but this registry is completely ignored by those who have control of the running of this little vessel.
I have been myself on board when her deck was simply crammed with passengers and their luggage, and to say that she was decidedly top heavy is what everyone on board knew and felt.
When she swung over one felt that but little indeed was further required to capsize her into a watery grave with her living freight.
One of her most notable trips was made no later than January 3, a week ago, when it is declared that anywhere between 170 and 200 people were aboard, with the consequence that her bulwarks were almost level with the water.
Now, Sir, is it not time that this over-loading on the lake should be ended? Is there no officer at Kingston or Queenstown whose duty it is to control such a state of things? It seems to me that this sort of thing is quite likely to continue until the Ben Lomond does go over, and does provide a watery grave for perhaps 200 people.
Just as likely as not, Sir, the service on Lake Wakatipu will continue to take any risk and every risk, notwithstanding the warning notes sounded in its ears.
Over-crowding small vessels ought, at any rate, to be sternly and peremptorily prohibited. - I am etc, Interested.
• Inspectors Anderson and Gill visited the Boys' High School school in October last. - The subjects of instruction - comprising English language and literature, Latin, French, mathematics, science, geography and history, drawing, bookkeeping and commercial correspondence, and shorthand - are arranged to prepare boys for the University, for various public examinations, and for commercial pursuits.
Neither Latin nor French is a compulsory subject of the course, but one at least, of these languages must be taken by pupils.
Only 34 are non-Latin boys, as against 239 taking Latin and the non-French pupils number 73.
Of the general conduct of the school the inspectors formed a high opinion.
It is under the control of an energetic and capable head of scholarly attainments, and the staff provided reaches a high average of professional experience and ability. - ODT, 15.1.1910.
