Ships
p. 85 · Read in the full issue
BSI Needs More Overseas Ships Experimental Call of Lautoka
Prom Our Own Correspondent Honiara, Sept. 20.
Messrs w. r. carpenter & co.’s M.V. Lautoka recently visited the the BSIP, leaving on September 3 for Rabaul. Vanikoro and Melbourne with general cargo from Honiara includ ing more than 3,000 drums of scrap metal, mainly cartridge cases.
The Lautoka is the old Salamaua, re registered and renamed at Suva a year or two ago. She is reported to be making two more experimental voyages to Honi ara, possibly as a preliminary to regular calls.
A regular schedule would be a solution to many of the Protectorate’s supply problems, particularly if she carried refrigerator cargo. The fresh food brought in by the present service of Bums Philp’s Morinda and Muliama is only a fraction of the Protectorate’s needs as freezer space must be shared with Vila and Norfolk Island, and shipment of general cargo from Australia is also frequently delayed for lack of space.
BSIP residents hope that the Australian syndicate now recovering war scrap metal will be able to provide sufficient back loading to encourage further calls by the Lautoka.