Japanese Airline

Extends

Strategic Palau-Dilli Service Commences This Month

THE Japanese Dai Nippon Airways’ service from Tokyo to Palau, in her Mandated Caroline Islands, will be extended to Dim (Portuguese Timor) on November 17.

Dilli is only 450 miles north-west of Darwin, and the advent of the new fort nightly service, cutting across the line of communications between Australia and the Dutch East Indies, has been viewed with concern in Australia. Press comment is that the airline extension represents just another phase of Japan’s southward thrust.

During the past 18 months, Dai Nippon Airways has made six survey flights from Palau to Timor, using four-engined flying-boats.

Dilli is a sleepy little centre on the western coast of the northern half of Timor (the southern half is owned by the Dutch). Its commercial value is not great, though it is important from a strategic point of view. There are only about 15 Japanese resident there, but the powerful Nanyo Kohatsu Kaisha (South Sea Development Co.) is well entrenched in the Colony.

The Australian-owned Qantas Empire Airways, since January, 1941, has called at Dilli once a fortnight, on the Australia- DEI-India service.

Mr. C. J. J. T. Barton, Colonial Secre tary of Fiji since 1936, has been appointed Chief Secretary in Nyasaland, Africa. He has been in England since December last.