For N. Guinea
pp. 35-36 · Read in the full issue
Mother Little Ship
Captain Tom Coyne’s 450- Tonner Arrives
ris expected that, before the end of this year, the 450-tons motor ship Pollurian will have arrived i New Guinea, to engage in a
reight and passenger-carrying
This is the service planned a year go when Captain Tom Coyne, lanaging director of Coastal ■reighters, Ltd., came out from ngland and met the Bougainville lanters, led by Mr. Fred Archer, in series of talks in Rabaul. Captain Oyne had read in the Pacific slands Monthly of the shortage of oastal shipping in New Guinea, nd he communicated with Mr. rcher, and then came out to New uinea to examine the situation.
He returned to England im- Lediately, and proceeded to get the ollurian ready for transfer to New uinea waters. She was altered a iod deal for tropical trade, and yen sun-decks.
It soon was clear that pin dcking English officialdom, under Dcialist direction, was opposed to le removal of assets from Britain.
Every possible obstacle was put in the way of the enterprise. The departure of the ship was delayed for weeks, because some genius dis covered that the lifeboats were six inches too short.
Finally, Captain Coyne got the little ship away with a crew of English migrants, and a full load
of cargo for Australia and New Guinea. It travelled via Torres Straits, and arrived in Sydney on November 7, and was met there by Captain Coyne.
Under the command of Captain Roy Kendall (otherwise Senator Kendall, who is planning thus to make use of the Parliamentary
recess) the Pollurian will sail for Fort Moresby at the end of Novem ber, and in the Territory she will settle down with a non-Senator captain, a first mate, two engineers, and a crew of about 22 natives. She will be owned by Bougainville Co., Ltd., a new trading concern which will be a subsidiary of Captain Coyne’s English company.
The Pollurian is 150 ft long, 25 ft beam, 10 ft draught (loaded) and has a deadweight of 450 tons. She has accommodation for six pas sengers. She is powered with a 400 hp Crossley Diesel, and has two hatches, with 3-ton electric winches.
She should be a handy and profit able boat in New Guinea. It is presumed she will be based on Rabaul.
Captain Coyne has brought with him considerable equipment, calcu lated to assist his enterprise in New Guinea. He has acquired two substantial, powered barges, capable of going 50 miles out of Rabaul, to deliver goods and gather produce.
He has obtained, from the Adminis tration, a lease over three acres, on the Rabaul foreshore near the Customhouse, and he proposes to erect a wharf and stores there. Hef will take up his permanent residence in Rabaul.