“Montoro” Aground
p. 12 · Read in the full issue
At Brisbane
“Macdhui” Takes over Cargo and Passengers
WHILE swinging off Dalgety’s wharf, Brisbane, on February 28, the Burns, Philp Islands steamer Montoro, en route to Papua and New Guinea, grounded in the Brisbane River.
She was placed in dry dock and exam ined by Mr. A. Corrigham, Assistant Su perintendent Engineer of Messrs, Burns, Philp and Co., Ltd. It was revealed that the rudder blade was damaged, being bent about Ip degrees at top and 40 degrees at bottom.
On her arrival in Sydney from the north ern islands on March 5, the Macdhui was hastily reprovisioned, and two days later, on March 7, departed for Queensland to pick up the Montoro’s passengers, mails, and cargo. She reached Brisbane on March 9, and cleared for Papua and New Guinea the following day with most of the Montoro’s passengers. She was to adhere to the latter’s timetable—but will run sev eral days late at each port.
Passengers for Port Moresby direct were taken aboard the B.P. vessel Marella on March 10, and were landed in Papua a few days later. The Marella then continued her voyage to the East.
The damaged Montoro was repaired at South Brisbane dry dock, and came to Sydney on March 15. It is planned to get her away again on March 19 —the date the Macdhui should have sailed.
Messrs. Burns, Philp and Co., Ltd., were congratulated by various interests con cerned on the rapidity with which they made rearrangements for the continuation of this essential Islands service following the accident.
The Montoro has been unlucky lately.
She was ashore at Fortification Point, 18 miles north of Finschafen, on the New Guinea mainland, in August, 1934, and was laid aside for a time while the Mata ram carried on the service.
Dentist, Ex-Miner
The subject of this sketch, Eric Weine, needs no intro duction to the people of New Guinea and Papua—he has practised dentistry for several years, and has worked hard in the mouths of many of them.
He has, on occasion, become weary of the forceps and the drill, and has gone off over the ranges after the elusive yellow metal; and he has had his share of luck, good and bad.
At present, he is dentist, ex miner. To-morrow, if the gods decree, he may be miner, ex dentist. His chief hobby is fishing—and it is an art in which he excels.