Bulk Oil Installation

Opened At Lae, Ng

From a Special Correspondent LAE, July 9.

NEW GUINEA’S first commercial bulk petroleum terminal was officially opened at Lae on July 8, by the Administrator of Papua-New Guinea, Colonel J. K. Murray.

Built by the Vacuum Oil Co. Pty., Ltd., at a cost 'of approximately £150,000 this new installation will open up a new era of fuel distribution for the wide area it will serve.

This will embrace Madang, Wewak, Rabaul, Kavieng, Manus Island, Samarai and Port Moresby.

Commonwealth departmental officers, members of Colonel Murray’s adminis trative staff, industrialists, and business men engaged in developmental work and undertakings in New Guinea, airline and shipping representatives, planters, former Vacuum Oil Company agents, and petroleum consumers from Papua-New Guinea and adjoining islands were present at the ceremony.

The weather was fine and about 200 visitors were the guests of the Vacuum Oil Company.

Mr. H. C. Smith, Operations Director, in his speech reviewed the past and future of the Vacuum Oil operations within the Territory. The Administrator after an interesting speech declared the Bulk Installation open. The guests then retired for refreshment after they had made a conducted tour of the Installation.

THE terminal received its first shipment of petroleum products from Palem bang m early July when the 16,000ton tanker Lifjord tied up at the wharf at Milfordhaven and pumped its cargo through a mile long pipeline cut through the jungle to the bulk storage tanks of the new installation.