Goodbye, Montoro!

Old Steamer Sold To Asiatic Interests

WHEN the well-known old BP steamer “Montoro” sailed out of Sydney Harbour for the North in August, almost simultaneously with the re-intro duction of the modern motor vessel “Bulolo” to the New Guinea services, it was not generally realised she was saving good-bye to Australia and the Islands.

When “Montoro” this month completes her last BP voyage, from Sydney to Singapore, she is to be handed over to Eastern Asia buyers, and her subsequent fate is unknown.

It will be remembered that this has happened twice to the “Montoro.” After many decades of useful service under the BP flag—she was running in the BP service in Northern Australian waters be fore World War I —it was decided in 1939 that the “Montoro” was worn out and she was sold to Asiatic interests. She was actually on her way north, for delivery to her new owners, when war broke out and ships nassed into Government control.

As the then newly arrived “Bulolo” was needed for Navy work, it was decided to bring back the “Montoro” into South Western Pacific service; and the old steamer accordingly, for another 9 years, maintained communications between Aus tralia, Papua and New Guinea. For a long time she was the only ship avail able for this severely restricted and enemy-interrupted service.

Thousands of Territorians and former Territorians will view her departure with sadness. She was quite an institution, and none of us will forget that her regular arrivals and departures marked the pass ing of the weeks in that halcyon period between World Wars.