NZ Ship Begins Service To NG

Acting-Minister At Lae

LAE, January 25.

THE Acting Minister for External Territories, Mr. Chambers, with Mr. J. R. Halligan, Secretary of the Department, spent a day and a night in Lae in early January. He was making a short official visit to Papua-New Guinea.

After his arrival he inspected the township, war cemetery and native hospital and then met local residents and representatives of organisations who wished to discuss a number of their problems with him.

Some of the matters raised were long standing grievances—the town-plan, re patriation matters, hotel sites, Public Service conditions, land tenure, native labour indenture, mining leases being a few of them. Public reaction to the Minister was, on the whole, good. A ministerial visit was long overdue—but whether any benefit will derive from it remains to be seen.

After spending the night in Lae he flew to Wau the following morning, and motored to Bulolo where he stayed the night as the guest of Bulolo Gold Dredg ing, Ltd. The following day he returned to Lae by road, and flew, that afternoon, to Madang.

NZ Ship Begins Service To NG

LAE, January 25.

WHAT is hoped will be a regular ser vice between New Zealand and New Guinea was inaugurated in January with the MV “Wairata.”

She is a 5,000 ton vessel belonging to the Union Manufacturing and Export Company, whose headquarters are in Wellington.

On board the “Wairata” on her first trip was Mr. E. Herschfeld, an official of the company. He said that the next ship of the line to call would be a 3,000 ton LST, specially converted for the Islands trade. She will be practically in dependent of local labour and will be equipped with mobile cranes, trucks, and skilled engineers for the purpose of back loading war disposals equipment.

“Wairata”, which is equipped with every known navigational device, in cluding radar, brought a cargo of dairy products, canned goods, general cargo and several varieties of New Zealand beer. She returned to New Zealand with war disposals goods.