Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), Wednesday 23 April 1947, page 2


SHIPS FOR

TIMBER

"The Examiner" Special

Service

CANBERRA.-The Aus-tralian Shipping Board ex-pects to make available special shipping tonnage to lift from Tasmania the large amount of timber available for shipment.

, rPHIS advice was received by Mr.

?*- Duthie (Lab., Tas.) yesterday from the manager of the board (Mr. Chinnery). It followed repre-sentations made by Mr. Duthie in Melbourne last week to have the Army vessel Crusader made avail-able for the Tasmania-mainland run to shift timber.

Mr. Chinnery stated that the Crusader was built specially for the Army to lift heavy earth-mov-ing equipment in northern combat areas. By special representations she had been made available to take similar equipment to Tas-mania for work on the construction of aerodromes.

The vessel was built to Army design and therefore did not con-form to Navigation Department re-quirements.

Listed for Disposal

Before she could engage in com-mercial trade, extensive altera-tions would have to be made, ex-tending over the next 12 months. Consequently the vessel was being handed over to the Disposals Com-mission.

The .letter added: "The board anticipates, however, that it will be able to allot sufficient special ton-nage to clear from Tasmania the amount of timber available for shipment, provided the industrial position permits the uninterrupted running of vessels."

Mr Duthie said yesterday that while jt was regrettable that the ship could not be made available, it was encouraging to know that the Shipping Board would be able to allot sufficient special tonnage to clear timber supplies in Tas-mania- He said the Crusader could have brought nearly 1.500,000 super feet of timber in two trips.