Wharf Facilities, Higher Prices

NG Planters’ Assn. Asks for Better Wharf Facilities, Higher Prices

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Rabaul, May 31.

IN a statement issued here to-day, Mr.

D. Barrett, president of the Planters’

Association of New Guinea, said:— At present the Ivybank and Tungsha are loading copra at Rabaul. The former is sailing direct for the UK and the latter for Sweden, under charter to the British

Ministry of Food. Between them they will lift 7,500 tons of copra. However, while this loading is being carried out a further 3,000 tons will be received into Rabaul. It is imperative, therefore, that additional storage sheds should be put up immediately.

The arrival of four vessels within a

fortnight has overtaxed the space avail able for inward cargo, and no space at all is available for outwards cargo. The Col lector of Customs has been trying to rent additional storage space from private individuals to stack inwards cargo.

In regard to the discharging of ship ping Directorate vessels carrying copra from outlying plantations: These Direc torate vessels, due to limited wharf facilities, have to give way to overseas ships with resultant delays in turn-round.

At the beginning of May, 9 Directorate vessels were in Rabaul harbour laden with copra. In view of the foregoing the fol lowing suggestions are put forward by the Association: • That work be put in hand imme diately for the erection of a pontoon wharf to hold three 300 tonners, and the suggested location is the water front im mediately behind the area occupied by Directorate of Shipping, • That a storage shed, sufficient to take 500 tons, be put up at the same place for the reception of outward cargoes for plantations. • That the existing small ships’ wharf at PCB be extended to accommodate one more vessel (the present capacity being only two). This could be accomplished by cutting down the bows of the wrecked Japanese vessel, now used as a wharf, and filling this in as was done on the existing wharf. • That the area between the two exist ing copra sheds at PCB be enclosed —the advantages being the handiness to the discharging wharf. The possibility of carrying this out was brought up by the Deputy Chairman of the Board at an in terview with Association representatives (later confirmed in writing) when he stated that the Board was considering the construction of an additional 500 tons storage space. Nothing, however, has yet been done in this regard. • The immediate erection of an addi tional customs warehouse for the receipt of inwards cargo from overseas vessels.

It is understood that Saar and Quonset huts have been brought to Rabaul from Manus for the above purposes—the latest shipment arriving on the Aros.

Copra Prices

THE Copra Agreement with the UK came into operation in March, 1949, at which time the price of copra on the open market in the UK was £7O sterl ing per ton. The Australian Government paid the planters £4B sterling per ton.

In March, 1950, the price was revised and an increase given to planters of 10/per ton—that is, £4B/10/- stg.—while the price on the open market in London had risen to £79/10/- sterling per ton. But since March there has been a further rise in the London market to £BB/10/- sterling.

In view of this, the planters are pressing the Australian Government to secure for them the maximum increase allowable under the agreement—that is, 10 per cent.

Costs are continuing to rise. Benzine is now 4/21 per gallon; sacks approximately £6O a bale; rice approximately £65 ton.

A rise in the price of issue meat has just been announced, which will bring it to £5/10/- per case.

The Territory’s copra production for 1949 was 55,000 tons of which over 30,000 tons went to the Australian market. The Australian crushers are getting the benefit of the contract price with the UK in that for copra marketed in Australia, the producer at pre sent receives £49 per ton in Australian currency at Territory ports. The Aus tralian crushers pay only freight and handling charges, and with world parity at £BB/10/- quite an anomaly exists. (Note that it was quoted previously in this article that planters received £4B/10/- ton stg.: this is the price in

Australia; at Territory ports the actual figure is £49 Australian currency per ton.) In regard to Government-controlled Directorate vessels. There has been a marked improvement in recent weeks, and we are content that Messrs. Mcllverey, Morrison and McKillop of the Directorate are doing all they can with the material at their disposal and the acute shortage of officer personnel to man the vessels.

The huge accumulation of copra at Bou gainville and New Ireland ports has been considerably whittled down.