Landing Craft Used For Livestock

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1949, Page 7

Landing Craft Used For Livestock

AUCKLAND, Jun'e 7. ' The Eoose Shipping Company 's former tank landing , craft Rawhiti, which returned to Auckland last night, will sail in about a fortnight with 300 • to 400 head of young cattle and horses for Russell Island, in'the Solomon®. The Rawhiti 's arrival conipleted her first Islands tradlng voyage, which started on March 20. .She visited seveml islands to piek up War Assets equipment, including trucks, tractors and cranes, for Sydney. She brought general cargo across the Tasman. The vessel proved highly satisfactory for the Islands trade, where wharf facilities were not always available. Some of the vehicles taken to Sydney were driven aboard the ship, but moSt of tliem were towed. The ship was unloaded at Sydney through .the bow doors, but alongside a wharf. Eussell Island was depleted of livestock during the war and, more stoek was badly needed to keep the undergrowth down and allow the coconut plantations to be fully worked. At the moment, natives were bqing emploved to keep the plantations partially clear, said Mr. C. Eoose, managing direetor of the company, who travelled in the Eawhiti. The cattle will be loaded in the Tamaki Estuary — because of her bow doors the Eawhiti does not require wharf facilities, aitd can run up on the beach. After delivering the cattle the Eawhiti will probablv load emptv drums at North New G-uinea for Suva and take on more War Assets equipment at Truk.