COASTAL FREIGHTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 157, 31 December 1940, Page 9

COASTAL FREIGHTS

INCREASE OF 5 P.C.

An increase of 5 per cent, in coastal shipping freight charges on timber and general cargo has been authorised by the Price Tribunal. The' increase operates from tomorrow. Coal, wheat, flour, bran, pollard, and sugar are excluded from the increase.

ties encountered when the phosphate trade was in its early days. Captain Theet, who is 87, was selected as manager about 1907, partly because, being a Dane, he could speak German, and partly because he had gained a knowledge of phosphates on Ocean Island. The laying of moorings in 200 fathoms of water at Nauru, where ships could lie while loading phosphates from lighters, was one of Captain Theet's major achievements there. Although he had laid moorings in water as deep as 150 fathoms elsewhere, the task in 200 fathoms offered major problems. Captain Theet connected' 3in chains, with four-ton anchors, added more chain, and completed the link with Bin wire hawsers. These provided secure anchorage for ships in any weather in which lighters could be worked. - Captain Theet recalled that during his period on the island the Australian demand for phosphates from Nauru and Ocean Islands was only 20,000 to 30,000 tons a year, against the esti-j mated reserves of 100,000,000 tons. However, less than 20 years later shipments of phosphates from the two islands were over 500,000 tons a year. The Germans allowed Captain Theet to fly the British flag over his office, but made him fly the German flag at his home, he added. They also endea- ] voured to make him employ Germans at the works, but they were not a great deal of use, and he was able to engage a number of British workers. The trade paid well in the years he was there. Captain Theet has not returned to Nauru since his term as manager.