WHEAT FLEET.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 302, 21 December 1932, Page 15

WHEAT FLEET.

AUSTRALIA-BOUND. OVER A HUNDRED VESSELS. EIGHTEEN- SAILING SHIPS. More than a hundred ships arc making their way south across the oceans of the wprld to load the Australian wheat crop.. All kinds of vessel, from stately sailing ships manned by adventuroiiS| youngsters who will make their initial, acquaintance with the dangers of Cape Horn, to the most riiodcrn motor ships, in which every luxury is provided for the crew, have been called into service. 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 the 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, Norwegian, Dutch, American, Swedish and many British ships 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 South Australian ports. The majority of these belong to the Erikson fleet, but newcomers have arrived from the South American nitrate trade. The four-masted barque Priwall, 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 number 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 ehips will make their way to Shanghai this season. Sixteen ships are fixed for this destination, and 23 others have their optional destination at this port. So far only one vessel, the Havre Maru, hae been engaged, for Japan. Callao, iu South America, ie taking four cargoes, and the rest of the charters are for the United Kingdom 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' holds many persons will be given employment. As the grain progresses on it. way, teamsters, bag ecwere, stackers, engine-drivers and train crews will all benefit. Pilots will earn substantial dues, 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 Orders." "Falmouth and Queenstown for orders" is still the mission of the sailing ships, but other vessels go to other porte for orders. Lae Palmas was tho principal port for orders last season, and other ports called, at by ships with wheat cargoes were Tencriffe, Port Said, St. Vincent and Dakar. Unloading took place at more than 100 foreign porte. Ithaca took one ton from New South Walee, and Batavia took three tons from Victoria. To every corner of the world Australian wheat will find its way through foreign ports. The baker in Vienna, the Parisian patisserie, the African native, the bandit of Manchuria, the Japanese soldier, and the dwellers in the cities of Britain will all help to consume Australia's wheat harvest.