Coral Sea Cyclone

Islands and Shipping Lashed

THE cyclone which struck the centre of New Caledonia with force on Feb ruary 26-27 had formed west of the Banks grouo, six days earlier and moved slowly south-west. By February 25, it was in the neighbourhood of Pott Island (in the Belep group, to the north of New Caledonia). It strucck the Colony in full force, between Hieghene and Houai lou, on the following day, and raged ac ross the island to the west coast, between Bouloupari and Tontouta. By midnight on the 27th it had moved across the Coral Sea to within 135 miles off Norfolk Is land.

Considerable damage was done at places in NC. At Noumea, where a downpour of 156 mm. was registered, a few barges and a cutter were sunk, telegraph lines broken, and houses slightly damaged.

A cutter, which went aground at Port Despnintes, belonged to natives of the Isle of Pines.

In the New Hebrides and Loyalty group damage was slight. SS Polynesien, which went aground at Port Sandwich, Mallicolo, later got off without damage. The Chung king did not put into Port Vila, but con tinued direct to Papeete. The Sagittaire, which moved out to sea at the cyclone’s approach, later returned to Santo.

Tontouta airport, New Caledonia, and Santo, NH, were temporarily closed to traffic.

In Santo, one of the more monumental piles of old junk thrown away by the American forces caused a flurry. After being beached for some years and its sectional pontoon holed in many places, this battle-scarred 75-ton floating crane yielded to the high tide and winds and once more put to sea. Fortuhately, it struck some old piles which diverted it to a reef where it stranded hard and fast.

Heavy damage was reported from Male kula Island, Several natives are reported to have lost their lives and several vil lages destroyed. At Aoba Island one launch was wrecked and another owned by Mr.

Stan Breusch, was washed ashore.

THE Canadian-built, 7,000 ton Victory ship, Tantara, arrived in Suva on March 2 after a five-day battle with the cyclone. She had been blown 650 miles off her course and narrowly missed being wrecked off the Loyalty Group.

The vessel is owned by the Johnson Welton Steamship Company of Vancouver and was on her way from Brisbane to Vancouver via Honolulu in ballast after discharging a cargo of timber, newsprint and paper pulp. She ran into the storm when she was north of Santo. She fought the hurricane for the next five days dur ing which no sights could be taken.

When the first sights were taken on Feb ruary 27, the captain found that he was 45 miles south of Mare Island in the Loyalty Group—6so miles off course. Dur ing the storm the ship had gone unharmed through the narrow gap between Uea and Lifa Islands and missed reefs by less than a mile.

When the blow was over she had in sufficient fuel to make Honolulu and had to put into Suva, BURNS PHILP’S Morinda was loading logs at Aneityum, New Hebrides when the cyclone’s “precursory swell” be gan to roll into the usually sheltered harbour from the N-W and made load ing uncomfortable. By the second day the ship was rolling so badly that consider able damage to the ship resulted when the 8-ton logs were. lowered into the holds.

Towards nightfall, when the swaying logs seemed likely to carry away rigging and winches, Morinda’s master, Captain Brett Hilder, ordered loading to cease and he

put to sea. They ran into tremendous seas which continued as far as Norfolk Island where no call was made owing to the rough weather.

The ship was empty, except for the logs which were dislodged by the violent motion, and caused considerable damage to the ship. During the worst of the storm the vessel was hove-to while the crew tried to secure the logs. On reach ing Sydney, Captain Hilder said that at times he feared for the safety of his ship, although possibly the most dangerous period was towards the end of loading at Aneityum.

Morinda went into dock in Sydney to undergo repairs sustained in the cyclone.

One of the directors of the Colonial Development Corporation, Mr. H. N.

Hume, is to pay a short visit to Fiji. He will be accompanied by his wife. They will be in the Colony from March 20 to March 24. While in Suva they will be guests at Government House.

Sir Brian Is Still Governor!

EVEN the most careful editors can make ‘blues.” That well-known compilation, ‘‘Whitaker’s Almanack,” for 1951, on page 777, says that the Gov ernor of Fiji is the esteemed and re spected gentleman whom everyone else regards as the Chief Justice. Sir Brian Freeston expects to retire from the Colonial Office service some time in 1951; but he still is very much Governor of Fiji.

Lord Rennell, 2nd Baron of Rodd, and Lady Rennell, will be in Fiji from March 21 to March 24 and while in Suva will be guests at Government House.

Mr. T. W. Davis, Collector of Customs, Suva, has been promoted to the post of Assistant Comptroller of Customs. He joined the Customs Department 28 years ago. On several occasions recently he has acted as Assistant Comptroller and

Comptroller.