First Airmail To

New Guinea

An Unostentatious Beginning

ON Monday, May 30, 1938, at Mascot aerodrome, Sydney, at 6.45 a.m., Flight Superintendent R. O. Mant walked briskly out towards the “Carmania”, a D.H. airliner, whose four engines were ticking over rhythmically.

“Mail’s all aboard”, he said to Mr. R.

B. Carpenter. Two passengers, already seated, looked out interestedly.

“Gripes, it’s cold!” said Mr. Carpenter.

A. bitter southerly whipped around th,e legs of half-a-dozen spectators.

“Well, see you Sunday”, said Mr.

Mant, and climbed into the ’plane, where the second pilot. Mr. Sutcliffe, was wait ing. Within five minutes, the airliner had climbed into the sunrise and disap peared northwards.

Thus, without ceremony, in the typic ally casual Australian way, there was in augurated the new weekly air-mail ser vice between Sydney, Papua and New Guinea.

In Brisbane, the Rt. Hon. W. M.

Huehes (Australian Minister for External Affairs) and Mr. Halligan, of the Prime Minister’s Department, joined the ’plane.

The ’plane ran to timetable, without in cident. and reached Rebaul at 10.20 a.m. on Wednesday, June 1.

Mr. Huehes was greeted at Rabaul bv the Administrator. Sir Walter McNicoll, and Ladv McN’coh. the Government sec retary, Mr. H. Page, and Mr. W. H. Car penter. and was then conducted to the hangar wh^ 0 he attended a ceremonv ar ranged by w, p Carpenter and Co. Ltd., in celebration* of the completion of the firs* official flieht of the Australia-New Gninea air-mail.

The arrival of the first regular air-mail was an occasion of much interest in Port Moresby and Salamaua; and officials of the Administrations greeted the Minister in each place.

The airliner returned south exactly on schedule, and landed at Mascot, Sydney, at 5.30 p.m. on Sunday, June 3.