SHIPPING NEWS COCONUT BILL'S UNUSUAL HOBBY

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33253, 16 June 1973, Page 17

SHIPPING NEWS COCONUT BILL'S UNUSUAL HOBBY

A correspondent, R.T.D., of Westport, recounts memories of Burns Philp's attractive Sydney - registered former motor-vessel Bulolo (6396 tons), which served the New Guinea trade. Many former New Zealand seafarers will recall the Bulolo. R.T.D. served in the Bulolo as; “captain's tiger’' (personal steward). Her noted shipmaster.) Captain W. Wilding, was known I on the Australian coast as I Coconut Bill. Former New Zea-, land seamen will also recall New Zealand's own Coconut Charlie.! Two-Gun Pete. Dolly, Ananias,, Boat-Drill George, the Duke of Lyall Bay, and many other fine, shipmasters. Australia's Coconut Bill had am unusual hobby. He collected; tropical fish for the Sydney Zoo. According to R.T.D., this popular, unassuming and unconventional shipmaster, who piloted American naval vessels during Pacific encounters, kept heated tanks for the specimens. According to R.T.D., it was not uncommon to see the boatswain walking around the boat deck with a sea snake in his bare hands searching for the correct; tank to put it in. I Coconut Bill liked Scotch I whisky—and “so did I,” says| R.T.D. The Bulolo was host to, the Prime Minister (Sir Winston Churchill) and President Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference during the Second World War. A shipboard plaque commemorated this. R.T.D. might be interested f"| know that Lloyd’s Register lists a Bulolo H. of 146 gross t ; built at Brownsville in 1968.; She Is a motor trawler, run by. Territory Fisheries. Pty. Ltd, of i Port Moresby. s': ■ In reply to K.T., of Nelson,; there are no firm details of the proposed New Zealand Shipping Corporation yet. In answer to your query • regarding possible coastal trade revival, shipping men with a lifetime experience say that roll-on services have signed the “death warrant” of most of the conventional coastal trade. , Two former coastal vessels, the Pukeko and Parera, now trade in the Pacific Islands. The Anchor Company runs the Titoki and Totara in the coal trade. The Northern Company’s conventional fleet—Awanui, Dido and Moanui—serves mainly the bulkgrain coastal trade. The Storm serves the Gisborne-Dunedin coastal trade, with occasional South Westland timber loadings. Then there is a small nucleus! of cement carriers. Conventional cargo vessels of the Union Company also serve the coal trade, when required. But the use of coal has diminished. Barge and tug ser-

vices on the coast have been, tried. Their revival is merely' speculative. Cook Strait rail ferries cannot be matched. ARRIVALS I Hawea (6.2 a.m.). 2926. Capt iC. J. Murphy. Dunedin (U.S.S.i. Hoimlea (3.26 a.m.l, 1053. Capt. jG. L. Porter. Wellington (U.S.Sn DEPARTURES 'I Holmiea (4.30 p.m.i. 1053, Capt. iG. L. Porter, Wellington (U.S.S.i. I I Hawea (4.45 p.m.i. 2926, Capt.; iC. J. Murphy, Sydney (U.S.S.i.

EXPECTED ARRIVALS Awanui, Wanganui, today. Ecuadorian Reefer, Auckland today. Iltohamu Maru No. 1. Auckland, | today. Rangatira. Wellington, today. (Huntingdon, Wellington, June 17. iHolmlea, Wellington. June 17. I Rangatira. Wellington, June 17. IWanaka. Auckland, June 18. 'Sharpnes, Christmas Island. June 18. IClymene, Geelong. June 18. Rangatira, Wellington. June 19. I Canopic. Napier, June 19. !Hobart Star. Wellington. June 20. Rinsei Maru. New Plymouth. June 20. IWoolgar, Nauru. June 20. (Mahogany, Nauru, June 20. iUnion New Zealand, Adelaide, June 20. Karetu, Dunedin, June 21. Kaituna, Wellington, June 23. Erne. Marsden Point. June 23. Shansi, Nelson, June 23. Mexico Maru, Wellington, June (Tarawera. Auckland. June 24. 24. i Japan Riniu, Wellington, June 24. ■Kashima Maru, Nauru, June 24. (Athelviscount, Marsden Point, June 24. (Ata, Nukualofa, June 25. i Marabank, Wellington. June 26. iHawea, Sydney. June 26. 'Vishva Chetna, Wellington. June 27. ITeesta, Wellington, June 28. ■ Shinsho, Auckland, June 30. 'Kweilin. Wellington June 30. Abel Tasman, Dunedin, July 1. Leuve Lloyd, Tauranga, July 2. Mataura, Wellington, July 4. Oceanic, Wellington, July 4. Atrevida. New Plymouth, July 5. Timaru Star, Wellington, July 5. Howa Maru. Wellington, July 6 Loppersun, Wellington, July 6. Larisa Reisner, Napier, July 7. Straat Cumberland, Auckland, July 8. Wenchow, Wellington, July 9. Jelunga. Bluff. July 9. Cumberland, Wellington, July 14. PROJECTED DEPARTURES James Cook, Wellington, today. Rangatira, Wellington, today (daylight). Ecuadorian Reefer, Timaru, today. Rangatira, Wellington, June 17. Holmdale, Chathams. June 18. Awanui, Tauranga, June 18. Wanaka, Dunedin, June 18. Holmlea, Wellington. June 18. Dawn Grandeur. Brisbane. June 19. Itohamu Maru No. 1, Bluff. June 19. Rangatira. Wellington, June 15 i daylight). Clymene. Auckland, June 19. Sharpnes, Tauranga. June 20, Hobart Star, Dunedin. June 21. Rinsei Maru, Bluff. June 21. I Canopic, West Indies. June 21. Huntingdon, Dunedin, June 21. Woolgar, New Plymouth, June 22 Mahogany. —, June 22. Karetu, Westport, June 22. Erne. Timaru, June 24. Athelviscount. Timaru June 25. Ata, Australia, June 25. Kaituna, Dunedin, June 25. Tarawera. Melbourne. June 26. iHawea, Dunedin. June 26. Japan Rimu. Napier. June 26. Kashima Maru. Dunedin. June 26. Shansi, Auckland, June 26. (Union New Zealand, Port Chalmers, June 26 (survey). (Marabank, Dunedin. June 27. (Mexico Maru, Dunedin. June 27. i Vishva Chetna. Timaru. June 30. I Kweilin, July 2. . Shinsho. , Julv 3. Abel Tasman, Wellington, July 3. Teesta, Napier, July 4. Leuve Lloyd, Bluff, July 4. (Timaru Star, Bluff, July 7. (Mataura Dunedin. July 9. ( 'trevida. Timaru. July 9. (Howa Marin Dunedin, July 9. Loppersun, Bluff. July 10. ■ Larisa Reisner. Osaka. July 10. ■Straat Cumberland, Napier, July i 11. (Oceanic, Dunedin, July 12. (Jelunga, Auckland. July 12. i Wenchow. Napier, July 13. VESSELS IN PORT ! Awanui. No. 1 B.W. (Dawn Grandeur. No. 2 East. Holmdale. No. 3 East. James Cook, No. 5 East (survey).