Norfolk Island
pp. 55-56 · Read in the full issue
Norfolk Is., Aug. 20.
IT is hoped that, as a result of a visit by Mr. Macdonald, of the commercial staff of New Zea land National Airways, we shall get an improved freight service to and from New Zealand. But National Airways seem to be wedded to Dakotas, with their unprofitable 5,000 lb pay load, and the consequent high freight rates give no hope of being able to put quality oranges and bananas on the New Zealand dinner table at a reasonable price.
Due this week from Wellington is the Matai, under charter to the Holm Shipping Co., with a 16 per cent, loading of freight rates, which are fantastically high already. How ever, the arrival of the first ship from New Zealand for about eight months will be welcome, particularly
by those whose homes have been uncompleted while awaiting build ing materials.
A regular two monthly cargo service from New Zealand would stimulate the fruit industry here.
But growers will not go to the trouble to assemble fruit for ships that never arrive on time.
It may have been good manage ment, or a combination of good weather and good luck; but the recent appointment of Mr.
Studley as port officer, to act as a liaison link between the Ad ministration, the shipping com panies and the lighterage company brought results last week-end, and the Morinda was here and away in record time. All are hoping that as a result the Morinda will be able to make at least two more trips before Christmas, and bring all the cargo
which has been piling up in Sydney for months.
Another of the many property transactions on Norfolk Island re cently was the sale of Mrs. E.
Game’s New Cascade Road home to Madame Grand. Mrs. Game leaves shortly for England and will be missed by a large circle of friends.
Madame Grand will be remembered as a talented pianist, and as the wife of a former manager of Burns Philp.
Lieut. Commande^C^G 011 Croft, MBE, head of a bomb disposal squad in the Solomons, says that there still is work for them to do there, six years after the war ended.
He has four Army and four Navy men with him, and they are finding and de-lousing bombs and ammunition left in the Solomons by the Americans and the Japanese.