History Of New Guinea
p. 30 · Read in the full issue
Timbers
Letter to the Editor AS I was secretary of the first com pany to handle New Guinea timber on a commercial basis, I think the article on page 23 of .your October issue is most timely.
In 1910 a timber company was started and in 1912 it operated a sawmill at Manu Manu. ’The mill was collected from various parts of the Territory and the boiler was picked up on the banks of the Jones River in behind the island where the Bona Bona boys hailed from.
The small ketch, “Kia Ora ’—Bill Doig in charge—did the towing, and the old “Moresby” (Capt. Mclnnes) lifted her onto her decks and subsequently dis charged her onto the deck of the “Zolma,” skippered by Tommy Bakker, who took the essential piece of machin ery to Manu Manu by the creek which flowed into Galley Reach.
The history of the mill is most in teresting. The head sawman was a Scan dinavian whose name was Benson. He “broke down” Ilimo and another soft wood which sold very readily in Port.
Melila, a hardwood was also shaped and used for decking the PM wharf, whilst some mangrove was shaped into railroad ties, and sent to Java where, after treat ment, it was—so I am advised—used on the NEI railroads.
The barque “Okta,” Norwegian-owned, loaded nearly one million log feet of Ilimo at the Vari Vari’s, and the logs were towed by the “Dexter,” owned by Dexter and Izod, of Moresby. This was in March, 1914, and the whole shipment consigned to Gabriel, Sons and Burton, London. Soon after the “Okta” reached England, the 1914-1918 war started, and the whole shipment, instead of being a loss, sold for a handsome profit.
In behind Vilirupu, Galley Reach and parts of Kikori and the Western Divi sion, timber could be cut from the face; then, after breaking down, sorted into various kinds and would, I am sure, find a ready market not only in the Common wealth but in New Zealand.
I am, etc..
J. Nixon-West Wood.
Wellington, NZ, 3/12/1945.
Mr. E. R. Bevington, of the Colonial Service, Fiji, is at present on leave in England. Before he returns to the Colony he will undertake work in Nigeria on behalf of the Colonial Office. He has been appointed secretary of a Commission which will investigate cost of living there.
A visitor to Suva in December was Mr.
V. M. Brooker. chief officer of the Broad casting Division of Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia). Limited. He discussed with Government representatives, matters connected with broadcasting in the Colony.