Mass Transportation of Stock
p. 42 · Read in the full issue
Stock by LST Experiment by NZ Co. Should Assist Planters
A SHIP, designed to land tanks on Pacific Islands beaches was, in June, taking on cattle in New Zealand for the Solomons.
The ship, the “Rawhiti,” belonging to the Roose Shipping Company Ltd., caused considerable interest in NZ when she moored up the Tamaki River with her bow-door open on the bank. It was ex pected that between 300 and 400 young cattle and horses would be loaded for the restocking of plantations on Russell Island, BSI.
This is the second trading voyage of the “Rawhiti/’ Her first began on March 20 when she left NZ to pick up war disposals equipment at various Pacific islands.
Trucks, cranes and tractors were driven or hauled on board through the bow-doors from island beaches where no wharf facilities exist. The owners praised the vessel as highly satisfactory for this sort of island trade.
On the vessel’s second trip, after land ing the cattle in BSI, she will proceed to Northern New Guinea to load empty drums for Fiji, then will take on more war disposals goods at Truk.
Apart from this experiment by the Roose Shipping Co., little use has been made of this type of war-time ship.
Planters who have complained of the high cost of stock importations into New Britain (June “PIM”) should watch this mass-migration of cattle to BSI with con siderable interest.