They've Struck Oil At Lae

A young and stalwart Swede, Captain L. Killman, master of the MV “Citos”, was responsible for adding a boost to New Guinea’s “oil fever” in November when he reported crude oil bubbling up from the Huon Gulf, near Lae.

The captain had hove to at “Sugarloaf”, Lae’s only deep anchorage outside the wharf. When the wharf was clear he weighed anchor to go alongside the wharf, and noticed the oil bubbling up from the deep.

He called the attention of his officers and one passenger to the phenomenon. And all saw the bubbling oil.

Captain Killman reported the occurrence to the local newspaper, and signed an affidavit to the effect that the oil was crude, and that it was not from the ship’s engines, and that his anchor was free of any underwater obstruction.

This was all in answer to questions fired at him by the local pessimists.

The pessimists were in operation because the area around “Sugar loaf” is known to be the war-time graveyard of many Jap ships and aircraft.