Cargo For Samoa

Complaint of Delay at Suva

Apia, Aug. 15.

STRONG dissatisfaction has re cently been expressed by all sections in Western Samoa, particularly by commercial interests, regarding the shipping service pro vided by the Union SS Company from Australia to Apia and trans shipments from England and the Continent from Suva to Apia.

It repeatedly occurred in recent months that trans-shipments of goods from European ports for Apia were left long periods in Suva sheds, and that Union SS Co. steamers calling at Suva have left the trans-shipments behind. Some of them, particularly flour and sugar, were urgently required ih Samoa.

Trans-shipments from the Wai kawa, from Sydney, landed at Suva, were left there by the Tofua and Wairuna when they called at Suva; and a large consignment of Euro pean goods, urgently required in Samoa, was landed by the Orari from London, and left behind by the Tofua and Wairuna. At the same time, the Norwegian motor ship Thorsisle left Fiji for Apia with at least 500 tons of empty space, as the Union Co. presumably would not allow Thorsisle to lift the Apia trans-shipment cargo.

The Apia public is particularly indignant because there twice has been a complete absence of stocks of beer, while 700 cases of beer are lying in Suva awaiting trans shipment.

Government and Chamber of Commerce have been trying to obtain a more satisfactory service.

Wharf-Shed Difficulties

At Suva

SUVA, Sept. 20.

This complaint was submitted to Mr. David Butler, USS Co. manager in Fiji, who made the following statement early in September.

EVERY effort is made to get trans-shipments forward as soon as possible. But it must be remembered, with UK cargoes, that they are discharged into the Suva wharf sheds from the UK vessels, along with the Fiji cargo.

Owing to the acute congestion in the wharf sheds, caused by the lack of shed space, it is not possible to sort the cargoes on discharge, and they have to be block-stacked. The cargo for trans-shipment to out ports cannot be sorted and checked until there is room in the sheds to break the stacks down; and thus there is a time lag, which as matters stand at present, it is not possible to overcome.

In any case, reference to the schedule below will show that,

despite all this, cargoes have not been unduly delayed. There have been some cases where two vessels have been used, and this has been, in the main, necessitated by the fact that, owing to shed conges tion and UK stowage trans shipment cargo was not available for the first vessel. Detailing trans - shipments from November, 1952, we find:— ‘Armadale’—Finished discharge o n November 21, 919 tons. ‘Tofua’ lifted 411 tons, November 25 (four days after discharge); Waikawa’ lifted 508 tons, November 18, 23 days after. ‘Wairangi’—Finished discharge Decem ber 9, 1952, 857 tons. ‘Waikawa’ lifted 757 tons (nine days after). ‘Tofua’ lifted 100 tons, December 27 (18 days after). ‘Durham’—Finished discharge February 4, 1953, 600 tons. ‘Waitomo’ lifted every thing February 14, 10 days after.

'Port Jackson’—Finished discharge March 14, 1953, 400 tons. ‘Tofua’ lifted 111 tons, March 21 (seven days after); 'Wairuna’ lifted balance, March 23 (nine days after). ‘Armadale’—Finished discharge, July 3, 1953, 319 tons. Major portion lifted by Tofua’ July 13 (10 days after). The balance by ‘Tofua’, August 8, 35 days after. Included in the first ‘Tofua’ was 202 cases beer, and 879 cases spirits. ‘Orari’—Finished discharge, July 23, 318 tons. Lifted by ‘Waitomo’, August 11, 19 days after. Included in this were 700 cases of beer.

Lylepark’—Finished discharge Septem ber 5, 342 tons. All available, approx. 300 tons, lifted by ‘Tofua’, September 5.

Emphasis is laid on wharf con ditions in Suva, which are ex tremely difficult, and have been aggravated by hurricane damage.

Repairs are now being undertaken and an additional shed is being constructed. Further to this, with the re-entry of Matua into the service, more tonnage will be avail able.

It must be borne in mind, how ever, that UK vessels do not run to a liner schedule, and connections therefore are liable to be irregular.

Nevertheless, where the cargo is available, the time lag is not great.