New Shipping

Service

Auckland-Norfolk Is.-N. Caledonia

small, twin-screw motor-vessel “Rosalie,” 250 tons Captain E. G.

Couldrey, was scheduled to sail from Auckland on August 15, to in augurate a new monthly service between Auckland, Norfolk Island and New Cale donia.

The vessel was bought from NZ War Assets Realisation Board by Union Manu facturing and Export Co., Ltd., of Wel lington, and is being run by Irving Clarke Ltd., of Auckland, as managing agents.

She will carry general merchandise to Norfolk Island and New Caledonia, and will take back to New Zealand timber and copra (from New Caledonia) and fruits and tropical vegetables from Nor folk Island.

Norfolk Island has no trade with Aus tralia worth mentioning and, apart from the “Morinda,” no communication with outside, except a fortnightly call from a plane flying between Auckland and Fiji.

While the Administrator of NI and the Prime Minister of NZ, with the simple veracity of politicians, have been denying that NZ has any thought or intention of taking NI over from Australia, Auck land commercial interests have quietly stepped in and provided a long-needed freight service, which will probably make Norfolk Island a NZ Teritory in all but name.

The United States Atomic Energy Commission announced on July 24 that it was establishing proving grounds in the Pacific for experiments and tests of atomic weapons. Location is not indi cated.