Lae’S New Wharf
p. 12 · Read in the full issue
Big Tanker
AT
From R. W. Robson LAE, October 9.
THIS is a red-letter day in the port of Lae. A tanker, around 12,000 tons, is lying at the new wharf, at Milford Haven, and is discharging a million or two gallons of petrol, by pipe-line, into the new tank installation here.
The wharf at last is nearly finished.
All its iron plates (cement-filled) are down, and the decking is over most of them. There is not enough equipment there for ordinary cargo-working, but this oil ship needs only a pipe-line, so she was brought alongside. The next Bulolo will probably berth.
The freighter Suva is lying off some distance, and being unloaded by barges.
Last night, rain came suddenly, and several tons of rice (cost, £7O per ton) were soaked in the barges. The cursing Ad ministration officials (stevedores, because
no private firm will take on stevedoring under present conditions and therefor© responsible for the rice) say that it is a most desirable thing that the wharf be finished!