Pacific Shipping And Cruising Yachts

Cruising Yachts

Burns Philp To Build A New Islands Vessel

A new vessel to replace the Malaita is to be built for Burns p in the Newcastle State Dockyards. She will be an all cargo el, in line with the recent BP policy decision of cutting out

enger services.

TAILS of the new ship were known on the Sydney waterfront Line, although there has as yet no announcement by Burns contract to build the new ship not yet been signed but it is rstood the matter is in the hands he Australian Shipping Board, ling time is hoped to be from nonths to two years. She will an Australian crew. ie new vessel will be named the after Port Moresby’s Ela Beach, will be operated mainly on the ralia-New Guinea service, as is Malaita at present. The Malaita es passengers as well as freight. a is reported to be 3,600 tons weight, which is about the same age as the Malaita, Montoro and 'kula. She will have a length of ft., beam of 50 ft. and 28 ft. a. jcision to build Ela in Australia new departure for BPs. The last vessel to be built for the com was the Montoro, which came from Norway about 1956.

There are apparently no plans yet for the disposal of the Malaita, be cause the shipping situation could well change in the time it takes for the new vessel to be built.

• Direct Link With Geic:

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony in June got a direct shipping link with Australia—a new development that will mean a big improvement in economy on the Colony’s internal shipping services.

The new link has been established by the Karlander Line, which operates the Elizabeth Boye, Slevik and Slitan between Australia and New Guinea.

The Slitan also calls at Honiara and Gizo, BSIP.

The new service, which is expected to operate about every six weeks, will have Melbourne and Tarawa as ter minal ports and will include calls at Sydney and Honiara.

At present cargoes for Tarawa are carried by British Phosphate Commis sion ships from Melbourne to Ocean Island and there transshipped to Colony vessels.

Although the freight rate by Kar-

lander’s will be somewhat higher than the present total figure, the new link will obviate the double handling at Ocean Island, and will reduce the need for Colony vessels to make Ocean Island voyages.

Karlander (whose managing agents in Australia are F. H. Stephens Pty.

Ltd.) plan to use a new vessel for the GEIC service—the MV Sletta.

But because the Sletta’s arrival from Europe has been delayed, the first voyage is being made by the Taranui, formerly operated by the Botany Bay Shipping Company and also well known in Fiji.

The new Sletta is a sister ship of the 1,850-ton deadweight, 240 ft.

Slit an, which began its Pacific service in February. Sletta, like Slitan, was built in Balboa, Spain.

It is hoped that Sletta will arrive in Australia in time to make the August trip to the Gilberts.

• Bad Reputation: Suva Is

getting a bad name among overseas shipping lines because of pillaging from cargoes and thefts from ships.

One of the latest theft cases con cerned a Fijian, caught in a man’s cabin in the Aldebaran on April 30, who managed to elude capture for some time.

When the man, Senivalati Tuivuni moli, was eventually apprenhended and brought before the court, it was alleged that he had stolen two

Pocket-Size Tug:

Rabaul has no tug, but "Buke", a work boat owned by Mr.

Pat Roberts, does sterling service in this capacity. Here "Buke" is towing the "Slitan", a sister ship of the "Sletta" which will link the GEIC with Australia.

s, a pair of shoes and 6/- in 3tal value about £Bl.

'alati pleaded not guilty, but the ate accepted the prosecution e and sent him to prison for iths. a day or two before the court e following notice appeared in w’s quarters in another ship, had just arrived at Suva: “Fiji 1 for its thieves. Do not leave uables lying about. Keep them up.” ioubt other ships in the same rry similar notices, giving the ’s main port an unenviable, yet f deserved, reputation.

Upper Retires: Captain N.

irson, master of the Union Ship Co. Ltd.’s Island er-trader Tofua has retired, de his last round trip in the in May. er of the Tofua since the USS >k delivery a dozen years ago, i Pearson was a well-known at Suva, Nukualofa, Vavau, ’ago Pago and Apia. He was roud of his trim little ship, r e-Tofua days, Captain Pear de many voyages in the Pacific r USS Co. ships. These in the Waipahi, which was on the ” run to the Cooks, and the which went to Walpole and : Islands, off New Caledonia, tiliser. is very early days with the iy, he was an officer in the hiti on the run to San Fran tiis last round trip, Captain i was guest of honour at is at nearly every port he it. veil gifts included two beauti es presented to him at Niue, lin Pearson made 131 round the Tofua from Auckland. In years the ship was his charge, ed only 10 voyages—when he holidays. un Pearson does not admit to ting life at sea, but says he hly enjoyed his career, which Dout more or less by accident, i he left school in New Zea joined the Public Service, and sted to the Marine Depart head office. ; he met many professional who told him how good life sea. He decided to make the career when an old salt said “What the hell are you doing shing a pen?” ig the USS Co. in 1924 as Dfficer, he served through the grades, in many ships, until promoted master in 1945. :arly 40 years with the com-

pany he served in colliers, cargo ships, cargo-passenger ships and liners.

This is the list: Tahiti, Kanna, Tamahine, Makura, first Tofua, Wahine, Monowai, Matua, Hauraki, second Maori, Rangatira, Kaimai, Poolta, Gabriella, Waipahi, Wainui, Omana, first Kaimiro, Karepo, Kiwi tea, Korowai, Kaiapoi, second Tofua.

He weathered four hurricanes in the Tofua, and was proud of the way his ship behaved.

“Hurricanes cut you down to size,” he says. “They make you realise how small you are.”

During the hurricane which devas tated Suva in 1952 the Tofua was blown ashore near the harbour en trance, but floated off, with little damage, on a rising tide.

Captain Pearson has made no plans for his retirement, except that he will live at Auckland. His wife is happy that he will now be at home per manently, and so are his daughter, and his three grandchildren.

His successor as master of the Tofua will be Captain J. Kirk, a senior USS Company master.

• Mission Ship Damaged:

The Catholic mission motor vessel Waimana collided with another ship 25 miles from Rabaul on June 15.

The Waimana suffered extensive damage to the stern and planking above the waterline.

The other vessel, Mainiro, owned by Colyer Watson, of Rabaul, con tinued on her way.

The Waimana was carrying a full load of timber, 12 native passengers and four mission staff members. She continued at reduced speed to Vuna pope mission wharf where she was to be slipped for repairs.

The ship previously served as a three-masted schooner on the New Zealand coast.

Captain Pearson with a table given to him by the Niue Assembly as a farewell pre sent. The table is cut to represent the shape of Niue Island, and indicates the position of the island's villages.

Photo: S. A. Whippy.