Papua-NG

"Bulolo" Will Re-enter

Service in Mid-August

HAVING been completely refitted in Britain, the Burns, Philp motorship “Bulolo” reached Fremantle (Western Australia) on July 14 on her way to Sydney, prior to taking up the Papua- New Guinea service in mid-August.

The “Bulolo” (6,000 tons), under charter to the Blue Funnel Line, brought out a full complement of passengers and a large cargo from England and is expected in Sydney on July 23. She will be un loaded, restocked, inspected and made ship-shape before being formally handed back to her owners. Burns. Philip and Co., Ltd. Almost nine years ago she was commandeered by the British Admiralty for war duties and, as a fast armed merchant cruiser, gave notable service in European waters.

On a five-weekly schedule, she will maintain the Papua-New Guinea service from Sydney, calling at Brisbane, Port Moresby, Lae, Rabaul, Port Moresby and return direct to Sydney.

During her voyage to Australia from the UK, the “Bulolo” was under the com mand of Captain Duddell; but it has not vet been decided whether he shall con tinue as skipper on her Islands’ run.

"Aorangi" Resumes on August 19 AFTER a long break, a regular British trans-Pacific shipping service will operate again, with the departure of the Union Steam Ship Co’s “Aorangi” from Sydney on August 19. Details of her timetable for nine months ahead a v e published in our shipping columns in this issue.

Hitherto, since the war, the American Matson Line vessel “Marine Phoenix” has been the Sydney-Suva-USA link: she makes her final trip to San Francisco from Australia on July 30. Future plans of the Matson Company for the trans pacific run are indefinite —the Sydney office, at the moment, is awaiting the re turn of the Branch Manager, Mr. Neil S.

Laidlaw, who has been in USA con ferring with Matson headquarters officials.

Trans-Tasman Traffic

PROSPECTS of an increase in shipping facilities across the Tasman, between Australia and New Zealand, by which Islands travellers connect with the Union Line’s “Matua” (for Fiji, Tonga, Niue, and Samoa) and the NZ Government’s “Maui Pomare” (for the Cook Islands. Niue and Samoa) are not bright—until the end of the year.

Reconditioning work on the Huddart Parker liner “Wanganella,” which ran on a reef at the entrance to Wellington

(NZ) in February, 1947, have been severely handicapped by a shortage of skilled labour. She is expected to re-enter the trans-Tasman trade late in November.

On present indications, the Union Steam Ship Company will put the NZ inter-island vessel “Wahine” into dock shortly and then transfer her to the Sydney-NZ run.

The Union Company is hopeful that the “Monowai,” now in dock in Sydney, will be ready to take up regular running across the Tasman in November.

German-Samoan Elected to New

Council

APIA. June 20.

OFFICIALDOM became a little upset when the Samoans of Aana District (on the west coast) elected T, Nauer, a man of German-Polynesian birth, as their representative in the new Legislative Council.

Because he had German nationality, he was interned during the war. On his return, he obtained Samoan status and a Samoan title, Tofa. The Administra tion objected to his appointment, at first, and thereby caused a stir. But finally Mr. Bauer was allowed to take his seat, conditional on his obtaining British naturalisation.

It was a difficult, but a wise decision.

Mr. Bauer is a good type of man, held in general respect, and he has considerable influence among the Samoans.