Rearrangement of B.P

B.P. Services

“Macdhui,” Now in Dock, Will

Resume on August 28

/CONSEQUENT upon the temporary withdrawal of the Macdhui from the Sydney-Papua-N.G. run, as a result of taking fire in mid-June, there was a re arrangement of Burns, Philp and Co.

Ltd.’s shipping timetables.

The Macdhui’s trip from Sydney on July 14 was cancelled, and she was sent to Cockatoo Dock for repairs. She will resume on August 28.

The Montoro will leave on her next round trip on August 10 instead of July 31 She will be supplemented the follow ing day by the Mangola, taking cargo and passengers to eight Papuan and N.G. ports before going to Nauru from Kavieng.

En route to Singapore, the Marella called at Pt. Moresby on July 14 to take Papuan travellers to T. 1., where they joined the Merkur for Australia. On her way back to Sydney the Marella will call again at Pt. Moresby on August 19.

After leaving North Queensland for the Solomons, the Malaita put in at Samarai on July 18, leaving the following day for Tulagi.

The new arrangements are shown in detail in our shipping columns on P. 78.

Crew’S Courage During Fire

With her engine-room on fire, the Macdhui sent out S.O.S. messages on June 20, when off Fortification Point, N.G. The Neptuna, en route to Sydney from the East, dashed to the rescue, transferred 38 European and 150 natives passengers on board, and towed her to Salamaua, where repairs were effected.

After being surveyed by Captain A. S.

Fitch and Mr. L. Lett, of Pt. Moresby, representing insurance interests, she sailed for Australia finder her own power, carrying 16 passengers. Arriving in Sydney on July 9, she was docked for repairs. The flooring of three port cabins had been ripped up during the fire, and the engine - room casing was badly buckled.

Macdhui passengers were loud in their praise of Captain A. Campbell and his crew, who fought with remarkable cool ness and courage and overcame the fire in the engine-room and in No, 4 hold.

They described as “truly marvellous” the quiet, efficient way in which the travel lers and natives were taken off at the first alarm and later, again, when they were transferred to the Neptuna.

Mr. C. H. Stanton, manager of the Shell (Pacific Islands) Co. at Suva, re turned to Fiji by the Monowai in June.

The death occurred very suddenly in Port Moresby on July 5 of Mr. William Knight, a well known and popular member of the staff of the Bank of N.S.W. He had been suffering from influenza and

dengue fever, and collapsed unexpectedly.