Strange Seaplanes

In Northern Solomons

SEVERAL residents of Gizo have reported that they saw mysterious seaplanes flying over Rononga and Vella Islands during March. The information, given both by Europeans and natives, has puzzled the authorities.

Mr. S. J. Masterman, who owned the seaplane which was wrecked by a storm early in the year, has received another machine from Australia. This ’plane, however, had not arrived when the “mystery machines” were sighted in March, and consequently no facilities were available to obtain a closer glimpse of the visitors.

From a Special Correspondent.

Gizo, May 11.

On March 30 a seaplane was observed travelling on the water near Kolombangara. She was seen to rise and disappear in the direction of the north end of Vella La Vella. A month previously a ’plane was sighted by the natives of Java, flying over the same course.

On March 30, when travelling from Vella La Vella to Gizo, his crew called Captain MacEachran’s attention to what he took to be a seaplane.

Around the middle of April the Simbo natives reported that a vessel with grey hull and funnels cruised around the Ganonga and Simbo coasts, anchoring for the night on the end of the reef off the west end of Simbo, and steaming away in a westerly direction at daylight.

On April 19 the natives of Lala, on the south end of Ganonga, saw a ’plane appear from Gizo direction and disappear to westward.

On April 23 the natives of two villages on Kolombangara observed a ’plane flying along the coast toward Vella La Vella.