Pacific

Oasis in Central Pacific American Achievement On Canton Is.

IMPORTANT changes have taken place during the past six months on Canton Island, in the Central Pacific.

Because it was midway on the direct line between Noumea and Hawaii, and because it was ideal for the purposes of either a seaplane or a land plane base, this barren, treeless strip of low-lying sand bank came into prominence about three years ago; and in 1938, after a good deal of gentlemanly squabbling, Great Britain and the United States agreed that they should jointly occupy the useful little island.

Since then, Britain has done nothing but maintain a small official party on the island —she has been much too busy with affairs in Europe—but the Ameri cans have achieved wonders. Men from Pan American Airways, working appar ently in harmony with the United States Navy Department, have placed upon Canton Island all the buildings and equipment necessary for a first-class sea plane base.

On May 17, the steamer “North Haven” arrived at Canton Island with 43 men and 5,000 tons of supplies, plant and construction materials. In June, the U.S.S. coastguard cutter “Taney” arrived with further supplies.

A radio station was erected, complete with permanent radio-direction finder towers: and numerous other buildings provided barracks for the men, housing for the heavy-duty power-plant units (which supplied the island with electric power and light), refrigerating plant, meteorological station, warehouses, shops, airport offices, etc.

To-day, on the island, there are a score of permanent buildings, forming the air port, all erected by the bustling Ameri cans within four months.

A New Hotel

In the middle of September, the freighter “Thor I” arrived at Canton Island with all the parts of a partially pre-frabricated 24-roomed hotel, com plete with everything necessary for the comfort and convenience of overseas travellers. Since then a hotel of modern and attractive appearance has been erected on the island. The equipment includes a blower-ventilation and air conditioning system; a radio receiver with 14 valves, capable of picking up anything on the air; a sound motion picture projector; and all sorts of other things for the comfort, convenience and entertainment of travellers,

Clearing The Lagoon

Among the work which has been done on Canton Island in recent months is the destruction, by high explosives, of 500 dangerous coral heads. They studded the lagoon and had to be cleared away before adequate runways could be pro vided in safe water for the big Boeing seaplanes.

Miss Ela Gofton, daughter of Mrs. F.

Stewart, of the Hotel Bulolo, Wau, who has been on a visit to Britain in recent months, is now on her way back to New Guinea, and is expected to arrive in Wau about Christmas Eve.