Aeroplanes!

Link the Islands With Aeroplanes!

Importance of Pacific Aviation

rjIHE importance of British flying X interests in the Pacific was empha sised by Captain P. G. Taylor, one of the pioneers of exploratory work in that region, when addressing members of the Pacific Islands Society in Sydney in October.

“I look forward to the time when all the important Groups in this great ocean will be linked by aerial services,” said the speaker, who was associated with the late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith in his trans-Pacific flight in 1928, and other famous enterprises. “To-day, we realise the value of the small islands as flying bases. Air transport is going to be the obvious means of moving about the Pacific. Distance can only be eliminated in this manner.”

Captain Taylor referred to the success of inter-island communication by air in the Hawaiian Group, and remarked that a similar service had been established in Fiji. “Why the latter was abandoned I do not know,” he said.

Mr. H. C. Monckton, former Commis sioner for Native Affairs in Fiji, when moving a vote of thanks, said that the Fiji service had been abandoned tem porarily owing to the depression. “There was no other reason that actuated the Government,” he added, “except that of finance.”

The importance of aviation, in the early mining days in New Guinea, was emphasised by Mrs. Allen Innes, who had flown with many of the pioneer aviators in that territory.

Other guests included; Mr. and Mrs.

C. F. Walton (the latter is well known as the Australian aviatrix, Miss Nancy Bird); Mr. A. H. Berts, of the Royal Netherlands Indies Airways, Batavia: and Mr. A. H. Rankin, president of the New castle (NSW) Aero Club. Mr. Alfred E.

Stephen presided over an attendance of more than 60 members.

Mrs. Alan G. Rutter, wife of the medi cal superintendent of the Helena Goldie Hospital, Bailua, 8.5.1., passed through Sydney last month, bound for New Zea land, where she will spend a holiday.

Miss Marjorie Arliss, who has been sis ter in charge of the Anglican Mission’s hospital at Dogura, Eastern Papua, for the past three years, was in Australia recently, spending furlough in Sydney and Melbourne.