WHEAT SHIPS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 428, 12 January 1933, Page 7

WHEAT SHIPS

AUSTRALIA BOUND VESSELS OF ALL AGES CALLED INTO SERVICE THIS YEAR. SEARCHING FOR CARGOES. More than a hundred ships are making their way south across the oceans of the world to load the Australian wheat crop. All kinds of vessels, from stately sailing ships manned by adventurous youngsters who will make their initial acquaintance with the dangers of Cape Horn, to the most modern motor ships, in which crew, have been called into serviee. Ships that have never put into an Australian port before are on their way, for the present depressed state of the world's shipping is sending Vessels off their regular routes in 'search of payable cargoes. Last year 'it needed more than 350 ships to lift the export surplus of Australia's harvest, and already more than 112 vessels have received charters for loading at various ports for the coming season. All maritime nations will send representatives. There will be Japanese, German, Norweigan, Dutcb, American,- Swedish and many British sbips among the mixed armada, and they will carry crews of every creed and colour. Many Motor Ships. \ The whole fleet now under charter totals more than 500,000 tons of shipping. Among it are 18 sailing ships, which will load at Sonth Australian ports. The majority of these belong to the Erikson fleet, but newcomers have arrived from the South Ameri'can nitrate trade. The four-masted barque Prilwall, the first to arrive, is on her first trip in the Australian wheat Derby, and carries a crew of cadets. Sailing ships take a very small proportion of the wheat exports. A feature of this year's charters is the numher of motor ships fixed. Already 19 have been chartered for various ports, and this number includes some of the latest vessels of this type. Many ships will make'Jtheir ways to Shanghai this season. Sixteen ships are fixed for this destination, and 23 other have their optional destination at this port. So far only one vessel, the Havre Maru, has been engaged for Japan. Callao, in South America is taking four cargoes, and the rest of the charters are for the United King'dom or the Continent. Money and Employment. From 420 stations in Victoria the grain will be dispatched to the seaboard, and in its progress from the waving fields to the ships' holes many persons will be given employment. As the grain progresses on its way, teamsters, hag sewers, stackers, en-girie-drivers and train crews will all benefit. Pilots will earn substantial ldues, tug-owners will be paid, and harbours will exact toll. The Federal and State Taxation Departments will get money and the Customs authorities will reap the duties on stores and fuel. Even the rat-catcher will get extra work, and the Metropolitan Board of Works will collect money for water supplied. Wharf labourers will receive employment for more than six months, and with them will be the tally clerks and others who attend to ship loading. "Falmouth for Qrd'ers." "Falmouth and Queenstown for orders" is still the mission of the sailing ships, but other vessels go to other 'ports for orders. Las Palmas was the 'prineipal port for orders last season 'and other ports called at by ships with 'wheat cargoes were Teneriffe, Port Said, St. Vincent and Dakar. Unloading took place at more than 100 foreign ports. Ithaca took one ton from New South Wales, and Batavia took three tons from Victoria. To every corner of the world Aus'tralian wheat will find its way through foreign ports. The baker in Vienna, the Parisian patisserie, the African native, the handit of Manchuria, the Japanese soldier, and the dwellers in the cities of Britain will all help to consume Australia's wheat harvest.