Air Services

Inaugurated in Fiji

Running Mails To Outer

Ports

REGULAR aeroplane communi

cation between the more im portant centres in the Fijian group

was inaugurated recently.

There was great excitement in Lau toka on July 15, when the seaplane “Adi Lagi,” piloted by Captain Fenton, ar rived at 8 a.m. from Suva, on its in augural, mail-carrying trip. About 1,000 Europeans, Fijians, Hindus, and Chinese assembled at the wharf about 8 a.m., to welcome the unusual visitor.

The natives were convinced that the plane was either a god or a devil-ship, otherwise she could not have travelled from Suva in 75 minutes. Amid the shrieks of the excited Fijians, the plane took off again before 10 a.m. for Ba, and back to Suva.

Soon after 10 a.m., on the following day (the 16th), a wild clamour among the natives in Levuka announced the arrival of the plane at Ovalau Island, and it came gracefully to rest at Na sova (in Levuka Harbour), thence being towed to King’s Wharf. It brought the District Commissioner (Commander W.

Burrows) as its first passenger. A little later it flew over to Koro Island, 40 miles away, with Mr. C. H. Hopewell, and landed him at his plantation (Ma tana), and returned to Levuka. It re turned that evening to Suva, with a Levuka mail.

On Thursday the plane flew from Suva to the island Qf Wakaya, north east of Levuka, with Mr. Wise (Com missioner of Works), and returned to Levuka. The following day, it flew over to Vanua Levu, landed mails at La basa, and returned to Suva via Wakaya, where it picked up Mr. Wise.

The machine used is a Moth biplane, equipped witn floats; and the success ful inauguration of this service shows the important part that aeroplanes are likely to play in the development of these rich island groups of the South Seas.