’Plane Missing

On N. Guinea Goldfields

HOPES of finding Pilot L. J. Trist, who has been missing since May 22, are now considered scant. The airman was flying a Guinea Airways ’plane over the rugged country in the Morobe goldfields, New Guinea, and, so far, all search parties, both by land and air, have failed to locate the air man.

According to Mr. C. J. Levien, one of the pioneers of the goldfields, who arrived in Sydney by the Macdhui on June 15, Pilot Trist will have no trouble in obtaining sustenance in the event of his having escaped serious injury, as, at the time of the mishap, his cargo consisted of 1,7001 b. of rice.

There was also much tropical fruit to be obtained.

Pilot Trist is well known and popu lar in New Guinea. Before joining Guinea Airways staff he was manager for Air Gold Ltd., a goldfield transport company which has now ceased opera tions. Early last year he piloted a ’plane to the Wara River district on the Papuan border and had the dis tinction of being the first airman to make a landing in that locality. On that occasion he discovered an un known lake.

Previous to taking up flying in New Guinea Mr. Trist was a member of the Royal Australian Air Force. He gained the rank of flight-sergeant and was also a flying instructor at Point Cook. He was selected to accompany Air-Commodore Williams on a flight around the Pacific Islands in 1926.

It is not generally known that deer stalkers can find first-class sport in New Caledonia. This is a photo of a recent “kill” in a district in the centre of the big French colony.

Excavating a pit, by ground sluicing, for a new dredge, On the Bulolo Goldfield, New Guinea.