Vanikoro Timber

South African Ships Provide Australian Connection

THE kauri timber industry on the Island of Vanikoro, in the southern Solomons, has taken a new lease of life; and cargoes of undressed logs are now being regularly shipped to Melbourne and Sydney, where they are milled and mar keted. Formerly, the logs were milled in Vanikoro, but the new Australian duty on sawn timber caused a reorganisation of the Vanikoro enterprise, which has grown considerably in recent months. The Vanikoro industry is carried on by a

branch of the principal firm handling kauri in New Zealand.

There has been an interesting shipping arrangement, under which a regular con nection is now maintained between Vani koro and Australian ports. The large 9,000 tons steamers of the South African (Millars’) line—the Erica, Dalia, and Aloe —are now calling regularly at Vani koro on their round trip from South Africa to Singapore and Far Eastern ports.

Instead of returning along the same track, they come south-east to the Solomons and pass southward of Australia, after delivering their timber cargoes in Aus tralian ports. They also carry a limited number of passengers, and are reported to be very comfortable steamers. Travel lers may book for the round trip—that is to say, from Australian ports to South African ports, thence to Indian and Far Eastern ports, thence south-eastward through the East Indies and Pacific Islands to Vanikoro, thence to Sydney or Melbourne. Two new vessels are being built for this line, which will provide a more frequent service.