PACIFIC CARGOES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 74, 29 March 1943, Page 4

PACIFIC CARGOES

U.S. OFFICIALS HERE

SPEEDIER HANDLING URGED

"Our desire Is to endeavour to speed up the loading and discharging of urgent war cargoes—arms, food and equipment for the Allied forces in New Zealand, Australia and other south areas." This summingup of his mission was given to-day by Mr. Charles E. Brown, regional director of the United States War Shipping Administration for the South Pacific and South-West Pacific areas. With the administration's legal adviser, Mr. John C. McHose, he is in Auckland to confer with Captain M. J. Bulger, the administration's representative in New Zealand, and the latter's assistant; Mr. A. Playle. They are visiting Auckland and Wellington. Mr. Brown has been in Australia for 16 years as managing agent for the Matson Line, but when war broke out he agreed to take over his present work. Vital to Save Time "Our job is to see that this shipping is used expeditiously," said Mr. Brown. "We want to cut down port time, so that more voyages can be made. While we are building a great many ships, the demand for shipping space to England, North Africa, Russia, New Zealand and Australia, India, Alaska and. South America is so terrific that

a few hours saved through speedier handling at ports may make all the difference in getting cargoes to critical ports in time to be of use. "No matter how many cargo ships are built, their use is greatly decreased if it cannot be utilised to the utmost." Ships built In the famous Henry J. Kaiser ship-yards, were piaying their part in the Pacific, said Mr. Brown, but he added, that other shipyards in America were doing equally fine work. "The 10,000 ton Liberty ships, for which Mn Kaiser holds the record, having taken only 41 days to build one ship from the laying of the keel to the launching, are the, standard type at present being used," said Mr. McHose-;