Aerial Transport Co. For Fiji.

THE men and interests which

established the highly success

ful aerial transport company

known as Guinea Airways, Ltd.

are hoping to extend their oper

ations to Fiji, where they may con

duct an aerial transport service

with seaplanes.

A company is about to be formed in Adelaide called Fiji Airways, Ltd.

Leading shareholders in Guinea Air ways, Limited may take shares in the new company.

Mr. Alan Cross, who has been mana ger of the Guinea Airways services in New Guinea for some years, has re signed from that position in order to devote himself to the investigation and direction of the new aerial transport services, which it is hoped to establish in the Pacific.

Mr. Cross, accompanied by Mr.

George Jeffreys, who is a director of Guinea Airways, Ltd., will leave Syd ney for Suva by the “Mariposa” on September 24, with a view to thoroughly investigating the position in Fiji and making the best arrangements that are possible in the circumstances as they find them.

The management of the Guinea Air ways service in New Guinea is being taken over by Captain Mustar, who sailed for Lae by the “Montoro” at the beginning of September. Captain Mus tar is one of the best known pilots connected with the New Guinea service.

It was he who successfully carried out one of the riskiest feats ever under taken by an airman in the Pacific — namely, he took a De Havilland aero plane in one hop from Rabaul to Sala maua when the aerial service was first contemplated. There was no available landing ground between the two places, and if anything had gone wrong during the flight, disaster was certain. With

that aeroplane Guinea Airways Ltd. in augurated the great aviation service which made the development of the Morobe Goldfields possible.

Mr. Cross’s fine record and lengthy experience in New Guinea, where he supervised the establishment and de velopment of the aerial transport or ganisation, should fit him admirably for aerial developmental work in the Pacific.

Mr. Cross visited Fiji in August and carefully looked over the possibilities there; and the result of what he saw is a proposal to form and operate a company called Fiji Airways, Ltd.

The Crown Colony of Fiji is an ad mirable region for testing out the value of aerial transport in the future de velopment of the Pacific Islands Groups and Territories. It is not only a com pact group which can be easily covered by an aeroplane organisation, but it is also the richest territory in the South Pacific. There are small towns and important settlements scattered all over the two main islands, and there are several important centres on the hun dreds of adjacent islands. Prospects in Fiji are remarkably good—exports are far in excess of imports and the sugar industry is doing very well.

The active support of the Fijian Gov ernment and the principal commercial and financial institutions of Fiji is essential if this aerial transport Com pany is to be established with reason able prospects of success; and it is be lieved that that support will be forth coming.

A small aeroplane service connecting Suva with the main centres of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu was established in 1930, under Government subsidy, but the depression caused the Govern ment to withdraw the subsidy and the service was discontinued early in 1931.

We understand that the Suva interests which were instrumental in starting this service are prepared to link up with Fiji Airways, Ltd.

Les Holden Killed.

WELL known airman Les Holden, who has been conducting a successful aerial transport business between Salamaua and Wau, New Guinea, was killed in an aeroplane smash near Lis more on Sunday afternoon, Septem ber 18.

The news arrived just as we go to press, and details are few. Mr. Holden went south on the July “Macdhui” to have a rest and purchase new aero planes, and left a relative and Pilot Tommy O’Dea in charge of his busi ness. He left Sydney on Sunday morn ing, with his old friend, Dr. Hamilton, and Pilot Ralph Virtue, in a Puss Moth, for Brisbane. They were going fishing on the Barrier reef, and then Holden was to return to Brisbane, to prepare a new aeroplane for a flight to New Guinea.

The weather was very boisterous.

Something went wrong with the machine soon after they left Lismore, for many people saw it flying low, and the pilot trying to keep control. It nose-dived and crashed. All three were killed instantly.

Holden, who leaves a widow and three young children, had a splendid war record. It was he and Dr. Hamilton, in the aeroplane Canberra, who found Kingsford Smith when the latter, in the Southern Cross was lost in north-west Australia.