DISGUSTED

The West Australian, 30 November, 1909

SHIPPING TELEGRAMS.

To the Editor.

Intelligence at the Perth G.P.O. leaves a

lot to be desired. Yesterday, for instance,

a number of persons interested in the move

ments of Nor'-West steamers were anxious

to ascertain the whereabouts of the Koombana 

and Minderoo, both known to be on

their way to Fremantle with an unusually

large number of passengers. The notice

board read:--Sharks Bay, November 27

Arrived: Koombana, from Carnarvon:

Koombana, from Sharks Bay. Then it was

notified from Sharks Bay that the Koombana 

had departed for Geraldton, also for

Fremantle. Nothing, however, was tele

graphed from Geraldton about the Koombana, 

and those desirous of meeting her at

Fremantle were in a quandary. Then the

board showed that the Koombana was sighted 

off Rottnest, but the intimation was

given too late to admit of Perth residents

being able to catch a Fremantle train soon

enough to meet the steamer on arrival. The

loose haphazard style of intimating that

a mail steamer arrived at Sharks Bay from

Sharks Bay on the same date naturally dis

counted the value of all the other notifications. 

As for the Minderoo travelling up and

down the coast, little or no information was

obtainable from the board, which ought

to be absolutely reliable and above all right

up to date.-Yours, etc.,

Fix this text

DISGUSTED

Nothing makes it clearer than this 'disgust' at the tardiness of the coastal service. Of course there was no insight into the immense challenges presented by tidal ports and weather conditions. No wonder Captain Allen was 'pressed on'.

courtesy Trove.