Salamaua 'Drome

Flooded

Ulm Did Not Like Conditions

Salamaua, July 31.

WHEN Mr. Ulm arrived in his aeroplane at Port Moresby with the first official air mail for New Guinea, he was met by Mr.

F. T. O’Dea, in a Holden aeroplane and Mr. Orme Denny in a Guinea Airways aeroplane. These two pilots, in their ma chines, accompanied Mr. Ulm when he left Port Moresby, intending to land at Lae: but on the account of the bad weather and low clouds they went only as far as Wau, where Mr. Ulm landed. Later in the day, he continued on to Lae.

Mr. Ulm was the guest of Mr. and Mrs.

O’Dea in Salamaua on Friday night, July 27: and on Saturday, July 28, Mr. O’Dea flew with Mr. Ulm as passenger to the Upper Watut, to meet Mr. Jerry Pent land, one of the old time pilots, who has lately returned to the goldfields. Later, Mr. O’Dea took Mr. Ulm back to Lae and, from that point, he left on his return to Australia, on the following Monday morn ing, July 30.

Mr. Ulm did not like New Guinea fly ing conditions and expressed astonishment at the way aviation activities are carried on in such inhospitable country.

The condition of the Salamaua aero drome was a good illustration. At present, it is leased by New Guinea Goldfields Ltd. The Administration will not do any thing to improve it and, apparently, N.G.G. Ltd., not being sure of its posi tion. declines to do anything. Conse quently, this aerodrome is in an appalling condition during heavy weather—of which we have had much during the last 25 days, when 43 inches of rain fell at Salamaua.

The aeroplanes have had to land in water, and take off in water.

It is hard to understand why this im portant aerodrome should be so seriously neglected. Even the Administration de pends upon it entirely for the transport of government supplies, mails, passengers, etc., and N.G.G. Ltd. uses it very exten sively both as airport and sea-port, for its requirements.

It is generally expected that the plan for a road from the coast to the gold fields will be abandoned: and then per haps, the Government, being no longer pre-occupied with this plan, will give more attention to real transport require ments.