[?]Ews Of The Small Ships

rHE 260-ton Rosalie was in Bris bane for dry-docking in April, ustralian papers, eager for a head- Te, captioned the news with “Broke er Own Custom”. The custom, it ems, is that Rosalie sailed out of oumea at night—a thing she >rmally never does in the reef-girt ew Caledonian waters.

Rosalie is one of a class of ship in hich the American designers went it of their way to introduce every >ssible discomfort and inconveni ice to the unfortunate personnel ho man them. The after accom odation and the saloon in particular n only be described as “insuffer >le”, the scream of the high-speed esels, the choking fumes, and the

zk of living space combining to

sar down the most experienced lall-ships man on an ocean passage any length.

Rosalie operated briefly in the estern Pacific for Union Manu cturing Cos. of NZ before going to ew Caledonia. The NZ Govern ent looked with disfavour on some the circumstances attending her msfer to French registry.

Rosalie and her sister ship Melva, >o known in the Islands (and now ick on the NZ coast) were built in

Auckland as supply vessels for the American Forces in the Western Pacific. Uncompleted (together with two others) when hostilities ceased, they were sold to the NZ Govern ment for disposal. Melva went on a Queensland coast reef several years ago, involving expensive repairs. ♦ * ♦

Manzan1Ta In Trouble

Islands residents from Marquesas to the Solomons will recall the 40foot Manzanita passing their way in 1950-51.

Early this April the yacht arrived in Darwin somewhat the worse for wear. Her American owner-skipper Raymond Lee, of Seattle, reported that he had been detained by the

Indonesian authorities at Saumlaki, in the Tenimber Islands (north of Darwin) from January 13 to March 4.

Lee was taken from the Tenimbers to Ambon under escort in a Dutch vessel and, during his absence, the yacht dragged anchor and went on a

Left: Captain Kwang Hao Kao, of the “Wan Yiu”; right: Captain A. Duff, of the “Vila Star”.

reef, damaging the keel. The vessel was partly looted, although some of the goods were later returned to Lee.

Following questioning at Ambon, he had to pay his own fare back to Saumlaki. Lee has lodged a protest with American Consular authorities.

Manzanita will continue her round-the-world voyage, calling next

at Cocos Island in the Indian Ocean. « * •

Captain Of Miena

Mr. Henry Simpson of Savu Savu, with the distinction of being the first seaman of Fiji to attain a Foreign going Master Mariner’s certificate— for which he qualified in NZ last year—has recently taken over the command of Captain J. W.

Richmond’s scow Miena.

The Miena , formerly well-known on the NZ coast, was one of the small ships which left Auckland during the Pacific War to run sup plies for the American Forces in the Western Pacific, Acquired after the war by Captain Richmond—who

operated a navigation school, first in Auckland and then in Sydney— Miena is well-known west of Fiji.

She is currently running timber from Lae (New Guinea) to the Solo mons, under Captain Simpson’s command. Captain Richmond came to Sydney in April. * *

New Name For Margaret-W

When the steel 600-ton formen sailing craft Margaret-W arrived aC Sydney from Auckland before Easter to enter the Islands trade, she had been renamed Maria del Mar. The reason? The vessel will trade between Australasia and the Con dominium—and as, to satisfy all concerned, the name must be neither French nor English—like the old El Retiro (formerly Kapiti ) — Captain E. Savoie settled for Spanish- The master-owner reported himselfl highly satisfied with his new acquis ition before departing on the first rum to Vila with general cargo.

Two Yachts For Suva

The yacht Lady Stirling, which hen present owner acquired as part pay ment for the well-known Islands* trading schooner New Golden Hind * was to sail for Suva in May to operate round the Group for the Catholic Mission, replacing a small craft which the Mission lost in the January hurricane. Lady Stirling will serve the Mission for twelve months= until further arrangements are made- On May 6 the well-known Auck land keeler Tamatea left Auckland on delivery to Mr. K. Hamhill ofl Suva, who will sail the yacht unden the flag of the Royal Suva Yacht Club. The delivery crew, under Mr.

S. Brown, of Suva, included two New* Zealanders going to man the NZ 18footer Komutu in the world 18-foot championship in Fiji. * * *

Southern Cross Out Again*

Under command of Lieut. Com mander J. F. A. O’Neill, DSC, RNZN (Ret.) the Melanesiarr Missions ship Southern Cross cleared Auckland on May 5 for New Hebrides and Solomons. Passengers were the Rt. Rev. S. G. Caulton,j Bishop of Melanesia, and Miss Maryy Holder, a qualified nursing sisten from Kaitaia, NZ, proceeding toe Lolowai Mission Station.

The little ship carried a general cargo, including timber to rebuild thea girls’ school at Bunana, on Gelae (Solomons) destroyed by the hurri cane late in 1951. Further timben for this purpose is aboard thea freighter Maplebank due to leaves Auckland for Honiara in mid May. l Southern Cross is not expectedb back in Auckland before November.

Well-Known Masters

Two Master Mariner brothers ell-known in the South Pacific, laptains D. K. and R. D. Matheson, oth former Masters of the trading hooner Tagu at various times, and lore recently Master and Chief fficer respectively in the former ST Rawhiti (recently sold to Per vian Navy), are back in New ealand waters. D. K., the elder rother, is at present in the Nobel xplosives Co’s Piri, on the trans asman run, and R. D. is Chief •fficer in the Union Co’s Pukeko.

Captain Stanton Page, well-known s a former Master of the Mission lip John Williams, and recently in le New Zealand coaster Hokianga, , according to coconut radio, again kely to be seen in Islands waters efore the year is out. No details d eased! ♦ * *

Tarra Concludes Copra

Chores

Copra-carrying seems scarcely an amy job—but that’s what AV-1379, etter known as Tarra, has been oing for the past 7 months—when ie has not been operating as an in srdenominational mission ship, in few Guinea waters.

Captain A. Mellor—who had 10 ears in RAN, followed by 25 years i Australian Army, the last eight in /ater Transport—has been in com land of the Tasmanian-built 300mner, which returned to Sydney in ipril.

Tarra, driven by a pair of 200 HP diesels, giving about 81 knots, has the distinction of being the last vessel launched for the Australian Army by the Public Works Depart ment, Hobart. Tarra and a sister ship, Vasse, are the only Army vessels remaining in commission, out of a considerable wartime fleet.

Captain Mellor was well-known in New Guinea waters after the war when, in charge of Army Vessel 2069 — Enterprise — he transported demobilised native troops back to their home locations. He joined Tarra in January, 1947. With the Army rank of Captain he may retire from the Service in six months, and return to the Islands as a civilian seafarer.

Tarra was despatched to New Guinea to assist in shifting accumu lated copra from outports and was on loan to the Production Control Board. While in New Guinea waters she operated with 4 European officers —the Master having rank of Cap tain; Chief Officer and Chief Engineer were Lieutenants; and 2nd Engineer a Warrant Officer. For the voyage to and from New Guinea it was necessary to carry an additional deck officer and engineer. Her native crew of 12 were flown back to New Guinea in late April.

Tarra now takes up duties as an Army training vessel, and Captain Mellor goes on holiday, leaving his ship spick and span, as befits an Army vessel. (Next Pa ere.)

■Tv A At Honiara: Koval A

Tries Again

Captain D. M. R. Maxwell and John Barley arrived back in dney mid-April after delivering the w hospital vessel Betua in the lomons. Shortly after leaving dney in February Betua developed leak which may have been serious d its cause—-a detective water-in :e fitting—not been discovered die she was still in coastal waters, fore leaving the Queensland coast was also found necessary to make small structural alteration under iter to improve the steering, icreafter the voyage was unevent !, and the little ship is already in •vice in the Solomons.

Captain Maxwell and Mr. Barley mned to clear Sydney in early May th the Kovola (PIM February, ge 105) which some experienced ssimists of the Sydney waterfront ; predicting will have as unhappy future as her unhappy, and expens past.

Kovala . incapable of carrying ire than the Whisky and soda quired for a “tour of duty” round e Solomons, intended only as a import for the Resident Com issioner. promises to be as useful d economical as was the former ji Governrhent vessel Viti in her yday.

Opinion seems unanimous that ; vessel was badly designed, es cially in the placing of the twin ators, and the alterations made to iprove this situation are considered ilikely to prove better than making e best of a bad job. Critics expect i unsatisfactory future for the 66oter—which now has been in dney for over 3 years, since her [inching. * * ♦ FOR B. S. I. AND N. H.

The China Merchant Steam Navi ,tion Co’s converted tank landing irge Wan Yiu —Captain Kwang ao Kao—left Sydney, carrying a ixed cargo, for the Solomon Islands >rts of Honiara, Yandina and Vani >ro, via Kavieng, New Ireland, on !ay 2.

Wan Yiu, which had previously ;en carrying cement from Formosa Papua-New Guinea, New :aland and North Australian ports, ill now be operating exclusively itween the Solomons and Brisbane, irrying cargoes of timber.

The same day, the New Hebrides lipping & Trading Co’s vessel Vila 'ar pulled out for the New ebrides, after what may prove to ; her last voyage to Australia, iport restrictions here making it ipossible for her, to discharge her irmal cargo of scrap metal.

June Sold In Singapore

Mr. N. W, Thomas’s 350-tonner June, from Denmark, will not after all take the place of the wrecked schooner Huia, in Auckland, etc.

June has been sold en-route —at Singapore—due, we understand, to the high cost of delivery. Some expensive engine repairs were in volved during the long voyage, and the owner decided to accept a favour able offer in Singapore. ♦ * *

Altair For Fiji

Morris Hedstrom, Ltd., have bought the motor-vessel Alt air from the Societe Commerciale et Maritime, Noumea.

This vessel was built in Melbourne' during the war for Australian military use and is 120 feet long, with a 24 ft beam. For the past few years she has been trading in New Caledonia and New Hebrides.

She is at present being overhauled in Suva for the Fiji inter-island trade.

She will be the largest vessel in MB’s fleet. Mr. H. R. Huntley, who was acting manager of the Fiji Broadcasting Co.

Ltd., during the recent furlough of Mr. F. C. Exon, reached Sydney by the Aorangi from Suva early in May, on leave.