BELATED PRAISE AND SERVICE IN DECLINE.

It took until 1916 for an article to appear illustrating the challenges presented by the Nor'-West coastal trade and belated praise for Mr. Moxon's visionary Koombana. Mention is made of Koombana's excessive draught (as low as it indeed was for a ship of that size) for ports such as Hedland, a significant factor contributing to the disaster; and it was this which cut short Mr. Moxon's plans for more innovative steamers to follow in the wake of Koombana. One has the impression from this article that progress, in terms of shipping, regressed between 1912 and 1916 - and which was not due to the impact of the Great War.

The West Australian, 29 June, 1916

THE NOR'-WEST.

HANDLING OF CATTLE

REQUIREMENTS OF THE TRADE.

(By "Humanstas.")

There is ample need for a reconstruction

of the steamship service trading between

Fremantle and Nor'-West ports. It would

be a revelation to residents of the metro-

politan area to observe something of the

condition under which the Nor-West portion 

of this State has to be developed.

Along the coast from Carnarvon north

wards there is a great natural difficulty

which has to be overcome, namely, the

diurnal rise and fall of tide. The boats

at present serving these ports are, in the

first place, totally unable to overcome this

difficulty with any certainty, for the reason 

that their rate of travel is such that they are 

seldom able to catch the tide at one port after 

leaving the other, more especially, as often 

happens, when they are at all late in getting 

away from the latter. At most of the big-tide 

ports there is only a small margin of some 

four to five hours during which a steamer can

berth at the jetty, and should the vessel.

not be on time the chances are that even 

with a small amount of loading and unloading 

to do, she will miss the tide and be obliged to 

wait for another 12 hours in absolute idleness 

for the water to rise to a high enough level

to enable her to get away. 

Should there be a large cargo to handle 

it will inevitably mean missing not only 

the next tide, but the ensuing tide as well. 

These delays are not only vexatious to 

passengers but are a cost to the shipping 

companies operating, to say nothing of a 

loss of prestige arid the practically certain 

stigmatisation of the boats by the travelling

public as "dawdlers." Ten knots an hour

about.the normal speed of most of the

vessels trading along this coast, there

being one exception, the vessel in question

being able to make special and direct

cattle trips at a fairly satisfactory rate

of progress (SS Kangaroo). The remedy 

for this state of things undoubtedly lies in 

the establishment of a line of steamers 

capable of doing at least 15 knots an hour, 

and making:certain of catching the tide at every

port. The absence of any ability to do

this at once places the steamers completely 

at the mercy of the waters, and makes

it absolutely impossible to keep to any

time schedule.

There seems to be yet another cause for 

complaint, one which affects the physical 

comfort of passengers, and bears particularly 

harshly upon any live stock that may be carried.

It is due primarily to the tropical and

semi-tropical temperatures through which

the steamers are passing throughout the

major portion of each trip. So far as the 

passengers are concerned, some attempt

is made on one or two of the boats to

alleviate the discomfort by the installation 

of electric fans, and the provision of

canvas stretchers for these who care to

sleep on deck. But north of Carnarvon

during almost any portion of the year, it

is impossible, with vessels so constructed

and so entirely unsuited for the trade

as are those employed, to overcome

more than a tithe of this discomfort. The

only effort ever made to provide a vessel 

specially constructed for these latitudes

met with an appalling end when the fine

steamer Koombana went to her fate in the

1912 blow. But it is said of even that fine

ship that her draught placed her at a

disadvantage in many of the ports and

channels through which she had to pass,

but every credit is given to the company

which made such a laudable attempt to

meet the demands of the situation. Some

thing in the way of a mercantile adaptation 

of the monitor type of vessel would, it 

appears, be more likely to meet the

case from the point of view of length

breadth, and shallowness of draught.

Cruelty to Animals.

If the plight of the passengers is bad,

that of the live stock is rendered incalculably 

worse through, the non-adaptation

of most of these vessels to the requirements 

of the trade. The ensuing loss of stock each 

year is astounding. For obvious reasons, it is 

impossible to get the exact figures, but basing 

the loss on the value of stock safely landed at 

Robb's Jetty, it must run into many scores of

thousands of pounds. One instance to the

contrary was cherished in the minds of

stock breeders; this being the occasion

when one of the steamers, more or less

used exclusively for stock carried a shipment 

to Fremantle from Derby in 51 days with the 

loss, it is said, of only two bullocks. This 

exception only seems to prove the rule, 

although it is always the fond hope of' 

shippers that they will be lucky enough to 

share once more in such a stroke of fortune. 

Against this, however, is quoted case after 

case of terrible mortality of stock, which has 

frequently occurred, unfortunately, to the 

detriment of the small men, who could least 

afford to suffer it. 

Countless instances in which the

mortality has ranged from 10 to 30 per

cent could be quoted by some of the

most regular shippers. It is the rule to

send only the best and strongest beasts

of a herd but a week of confinement in

the holds of these vessels is sufficient to

turn a fine looking bullock into a hollow

flanked dejected looking animal. Often,

too, because of a temporary shortage in the

market no time is given to the beasts to

recover some of their lost condition. A

case occured a few weeks ago in which

the cattle were being sold as fast as

they could be run through the race off

the ship, and almost as promptly despatched 

by the butchers, in order to supply their 

insistent customers. It is sheer cruelty to 

send cattle on the hoof under prevailing 

conditions, and it is a moot point as to 

whether or not the law for the prevention of 

cruelty to animals could not be enforced to 

put a stop to the practice and cause some 

other more humane method of supplying the 

metropolitan area with meat to be put into practice.

The growers themselves acknowledge the

cruelty of the system; everyone acknowledges 

it; but still the system runs its course, and no 

one thinks it is his business to intervene. What is 

everyone's business is that of no one. 

Anyone travelling on these passenger cattle 

boats can see for himself by looking down into 

the holds. Fine beasts lying on their sides, gasping

for breath, trampled over by the more

vigorous of the herd, horned and kicked,

and waiting for the end. For three days

a beast will perhaps suffer in this way before 

the hour of its happy release comes.

When it is dead a stock tender will fix a

hook ,through its leg, the carcass is hauled

up on the winch, and with a slash of his

knife the man drops the carrion over the

side. In fairness to the stock tenders, it

may be said that, if they see a chance

of getting a fallen beast on its legs, they

will endeavour to do so, but it must be

noted that Kimberley cattle are not domesticated, 

and that it is anything but a safe task to go 

down amongst them and prod a bullock on to 

his legs again. 

There is insufficient ventilation in the holds. 

The only means by which air is forced down

amongst the cattle is through the agency

of windsails. When there is no wind there

is no air. Two wisdsails to each hold is

the usual arrangement, and it is pitiful on

hot still days to watch the animals crowding

in beneath the foot of these tubular canvas 

contrivances to drink in the light draughts of 

air that are only sent down by the forward 

movement of the ship. In port on such days 

the windsails hang lifeless from the ropes, 

and the unfortunate beasts can only gasp in 

vain. Why should they be called upon to suffer 

in this way? True, man must have meat, and 

the beasts are only reared for the slaughter-house,

but if they must be killed let this take place at the 

other end, and the carcasses sent down in the form 

of chilled beef. The meat then purveyed to the public 

will not have been kept at fever heat for days,

will not have been bruised and knocked about 

as it is in the life, and if people think at all about 

such things they will feel that they have spared 

much needless suffering which a word from them 

could have stopped long since.

Koombana's dedicated cattle deck with adequate ventilation ports was not only an important innovation, but also humane.

Yet another difficulty has to do with the 

matter of inward and outward freight. 

Apparently the settlers can never depend 

on getting goods from the south run when 

it is known to have been shipped on a 

particular steamer. Over carrying of goods 

seems to be the order of the day. Outward 

loading is at times treated in much the same 

cavalier fashion. In this connection there are 

faults on both sides; more especially at those 

ports where the lightering system is in vogue.

Instead of a lighter being anchored out

ready to range alongside the steamer, she 

often does not make her appearance for 

two hours later, and it is small wonder that 

the captain of a ship should then in his turn 

refuse to load the merchandise. 

This might in part be why Koombana was obliged to enter Port Hedland rather than relying on lighters - expense being a further factor.

But goods are left behind on jetties which 

have been placed in readiness for loading 

days before, either because there are 

insufficient lumpers available to load it, 

or the captain is behind time and will 

not  run the risk of missing the next tide. 

Furthermore, the facilities for handling cargo 

and stock on the jetties are antiquated and 

makeshift, and render it both difficult and 

patience-trying for the ships to deal with. 

Undoubtedly much more will be required to 

be spent in various directions to overcome these

difficulties. but the trade should warrant
it and the Nor'-West is entitled to it.

Fix this text

Captain Allen did not want to 'get behind time and run the risk of missing the next tide'.

courtesy Trove.

THE STATE STEAMSHIP SERVICE.

The West Australian, 27 November, 1915

THE STATE STEAMSHIP SERVICE.

--

A REVIEW OF ITS OPERATIONS.

THE SITUATION TO-DAY.

(By "Shipper.")

The present is a most opportune time

to review the operations of the present

Labour Government as shipowners. In

this capacity they launched out just three

years ago. Their scheme, it will be

remembered, was ostensibly designed to 

render help to the small shipper of stock

along the North-West coast. It was not

for the purpose of adding to the service

that was at the time maintained by private 

shipping firms, but, according to the

Ministerial announcement at the time the

ships were purchased, in order that the

small shipper could get space to ship to

the metropolitan markets and thus avoid

the machinations of what was regarded as

a beef ring.

A glance at the conditions of the North

West shipping service before and after the

advent of the State service is interesting,

and speaks for itself. Before 1912 there

were the four regular Singapore steamers

-the Gorgon, Paroo, Minderoo, and Charon, 

which vessels also made frequent special trips 

to North-West ports for cattle only; the Adelaide 

Company's steamers Bullarra and Allinga, which 

ran regular trips to the closer North-West ports. 

and the Ceduna and Junee, connecting 

respectively with West and East Kimberley and

Fremantle, while occasional trips for cattle

were also made by such steamers as the

Diikera, Kadina, and Tarcoola. In all, at that 

period, the service was maintained by the 

equivalent of ten steamers. 

On the advent of the State steamers, the service

was maintained by the Paroo, Minderoo,

Charon, Gorgon, Ceduna, Western Australia, 

and Kwinana, or the equivalent of nine steamers; 

the Western Australia displaced one of the 

Adelaide Company's liners and the Kwinana 

took the place of the Junee. At present the 

North-West trade is conducted by the Minderoo, 

Charon, and Paroo; the N2, Kwinana and Ceduna,

that is, by six vessels, and when the Kwinana

and Ceduna go off, as they will very soon,

there will be but four steamers.

From the reduction it is obvious that

there has always been less tonnage in the

North-West trade since the advent of the

State steamers the reason being that the

trade could not support more tonnage

than it had done prior to the experiment of

the Government. It may be put forward

that the war has been responsible for this

falling off in the general requirements or

the trade, but the fact is there that before 

the war the State steamers did no

more than displace some of the other

Australian-owned steamers. There was 

therefore no benefit to the coast, and 

it was well known at the time that the 

advent of the State service influenced 

the Adelaide Company to abandon the 

plans of a steamer that was to be built 

to replace the ill-fated Koombana.

Shooting oneself in the foot comes to mind.

In further reference to the primary object 

of the service, that of helping out the small 

stockowner, it has already been told through 

the Press how two or three such owners tried 

the experiment of shipping and burnt their 

fingers badly in the attempt. Recently, the 

manager of the State service stated publicly 

that to provide work for the steamers he had 

to make his bookings for stock a long way 

ahead, and book up those who came along 

and applied for space. This, of course, is the

regular practice of the trade. The big shipper, 

being able to estimate approximately what he 

can pledge himself to ship, is in a position to 

book his space, whereas the small stockowner 

has little or no idea of what he will be able to 

ship, and therefore cannot book far ahead. 

In any case, the small man found it very 

dangerous and risky to send down small lots

and compete in the markets with the bigger 

shippers. The result is that the cattle

trade is now conducted, as regards the

State steamers, exactly as it was before

their advent, in so tar as bookings or

space are concerned, and an inspection

of the manifests discloses the names of

such little shippers (as McDonald, J. J.

Holmes, Copley, Connor, Loherty and

Durack, Sam Mackay, Gooch, McLeod,

Davis Kimberley Pastoral Company, and

others, who naturally must look for space

where they can get it, but who certainly

cannot be catalogued as the small shipper

for whose benefit the service was inaugurated. 

In fact. some of them are known, erroneously, 

no doubt, as meat ring supporters. The small 

stockowner still sells and is glad to sell for cash

to the usual dealers at the North-West

ports, or entrusts his stock where space

can be booked by some of the larger and

more influential stock agents on consignment.

The Government, therefore, has provided

unnecessary tonnage which has resulted in

no advantage to the trade, but merely displaces 

other tonnage at a large capital expenditure or 

borrowed money, and has invested it in steamers 

which are well known in these days of modern 

improvements as a very fluctuating asset and liable 

to heavy depreciation, when without any such

State outlay and pledging of credit the trade 

was as well if not better catered for before the 

experiment started without experience to guide them, 

rushed in.

These facts are not politics, and what

ever Government had embarked on such

a scheme it is the duty of the public to

judge them by results. No State interest 

has benefited by the venture. It is true that 

fares naturally were reduced 10 percent for 

what might well be classed "B" steamers, but 

freights are quoted and are the same as those 

listed for many years by Singapore liners and 

steamers of the Adelaide Company. Now that 

the s.s. N2 has replaced the Western Australla

there is ample justification for the Government 

to charge the usual coast fares, particularly 

seeing that the vessel is losing money, and 

not to do so is merely throwing away public 

money. 

Just now the earning of the steamers has 

been bolstered up by Public Works departmental 

shipments such as the carriage of machinery,

etc.. for the Wyndham freezing works, but

these earnings do not last, and cannot be 

used in judging the trade generally, as other 

lines, no doubt, would have taken up the 

material had there been no State service.

As a result of the venture only the empty

eggshell is left to the bondholder and tax

payer. Firstly, the scheme has failed to

benefit those for whom it was set in motion. 

Secondly, the tonnage on the coast has been 

seriously reduced: and, thirdly, the venture 

has been conducted at a loss.

All that the Government possess on behalf

of the public is one old steamer, the

Kwinana, which must shortly attempt to

pass her No. 3 survey or be scrapped or

sold for what she will fetch, and another

steamer, the Kangaroo, which, according to

Mr Drew, has a dead weight capacity of

8,250 tons, and which has been bought at

a fabulous price on an inflated market.

In order to meet expenses correspondingly 

high prices must be asked for freights

by this vessel. When the war ends

freights must fall seriously, and it the

expense of those who have bought ships

at the record top values caused by the

world war.

If these interested would consult "Fair

play," a leading British shipping journal,

they would ascertain the prices of most

vessels sold and they will probably notice

that shipowners are to a large extent selling, 

and not buying, while only the speculator is 

purchasing.

Perhaps the Kangaroo will carry wheat

for the farmer to London at a specially

cheap rate, and to do this would show the

patriotism that Mr. Johnson asks the

farmer to show him. If this were done

the farmer might say that the new vessel

is some good to him. But her owners will

probably not show this unbounded 

patriotism. Doubtless an attempt will be

made to obtain as large a profit. as possible 

at the highest freight chargeable,

which her very big price (no more than

current prices) absolutely demands. The

statement that she is to be the meat carrier 

between Wyndham and Fremantle has

surely been prematurely made, for taking

Mr. Drew's figures, 8,250 tons, as per dead

weight capacity, and allowing for reduced

space taken out for oil fuel, which Mr.

Drew states will replace members of the

Seamen and Firemen's Union. and the 

absence of the necessary ballast which a

livestock carrier has to take, the Kangaroo,

if loaded to the extent of her space,

should lift, at least 6.000 carcasses of beef,

and a trip or two would swamp the

market. Mr. Drew could scarcely mean

that the Kangaroo is designed to run 

regularly with frozen meat between Wyndham

and Fremantle under these circumstances.

Fix this text

It took until late 1915 for Mr. Moxon to have the last laugh.

SS Kangaroo (courtesy photosofthepast.com.au)

courtesy Trove.