Shipbreakers
p. 33 · Read in the full issue
Her Last Voyage
Mataram Sails For Japan And Shipbreakers
NEWCASTLE was wrapped in gloom and darkness as the former Burns, Philp Islands passenger vessel Mataram slipped out of the harbour on her last voyage at the end of April. Commanded by Captain S. Sayeki and with a crew of 32 Japanese seamen from Osaka, the steamer was being taken to Japan to be delivered to shipbreakers there.
Launched in 1909 and once the pride of the B.P. fleet, the old Mataram had sailed all over the Western Pacific. Dur ing the greater part of the last five years she maintained a four-weekly service between Australia and the Solomon Is lands.
While negotiations were proceeding early in 1931 between Messrs. Burns, Philp and Co., Ltd., and the Common wealth Government regarding rearrange ment of the B.P. Pacific Islands services, the Mataram made several trips to New Guinea, and later for a few months she maintained a direct service between Syd ney and Papua. In October, 1931, how ever, she again took up the Solomons run, until she was replaced in January. 1934, by the new B.P. motor vessel Malaita.