Ban On Chinese Ship Lifted

Press, Issue 32345, 10 July 1970, Page 13

Ban On Chinese Ship Lifted

(N Z. Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, July 9. The quarantine ban on the Chinese grain ship Lin Tong in the Western Australian port of Albany has been lifted, and the freighter is now preparing to load wheat for China.

Health Department officials said that the quarantine officer in Albany was able to board the ship this aftertioon. He gave the ship a health clearance. Earlier, the ship’s captain asked for 250 tons of provisions and fresh water to be supplied to the Lin Tong. During the three-day stalemate, food and water had been left on the wharf for the crew to haul on board, but until today they had refused. Australian officials believe the incident was the result of a lack of understanding by the ship’s master of Australian health requirements. The master originally refused to allow the quarantine doctor to board the ship and inspect the crew. His refusal led to the health department placing the ship in quarantine.

Harbour authorities then ordered it to leave its berth to make way for another ship

loading grain for Hong Kong. The master refused and the ship remained at its berth. Reliable sources say that unofficial approaches by Department of External Affairs, Primary Industry Department and Australian Wheat Board officials solved the problem and allowed the quarantine inspection to take place. The Wheat Board has been selling wheat to China since 1961, and maintains lines of communications with the Chinese Cereal Corporation. But a board spokesman in Melbourne would not comment on the lifting of the ban this afternoon.