Suva Municipal Aviary

In an endeavour to provide additional attractions for tourists visiting Fiji, the Suva Municipal Council has decided to convert the local band rotunda, which has not been used for a considerable time, into an aviary. The site is near the Carnegie Library, in Suva town.

Donations of local birds have been pro mised by enthusiastic residents, and Councillor A. H. Martin, an experienced ornithologist, will have charge of the new aviary. Fiji has a wide variety of birds; there are over 100 known species indigenous to the Colony—hawks, owls, honeyeaters, finches, kingfishers, as well as many beautiful multi-coloured parrots.

erary of their two recently purchased ships—the motor vessels Rabaul and Salamaua. The Salamaua (6754 tons) ar rived in Australian waters in October and went on to Tulagi (British Solomon Islands) and New Guinea and then re turned to Europe via Batavia and Dakar (West Africa).

The m.v. Rabaul (5600 tons) arrived in Australian waters in December and then proceeded direct to Fijian ports, including Rotuma, in Northern Fiji, where Messrs. Carpenter have estab lished a trading station. The Rabaul left Rotuma on January 9 and proceeded to the Gilbert Islands. Thence she goes to New Guinea ports; thence to Darwin; thence to Dakar and Europe.

The Carpenter ships will now probably give a regular connection between Syd ney and the Gilbert Islands, which hitherto has been lacking.

Messrs. Carpenter and Co. are of opinion that there will be important de velopments soon in connection with the Northern Territory; and they have de cided accordingly that ships, Ra baul and Salamaua, shall call regularly at Darwin, instead of Batavia, in Java.

This means that the ships, after leaving New Guinea ports, will proceed direct to Darwin, and thence will go round South Africa to Dakar. It is a move that should assist materially in the develop ment of the Northern Territory, as it will supply that part of Australia with direct communication with Europe.