Return By Air

Planter-Airman Visits His Bougainville Estate

From a Special Correspondent

South Pacific Base, July 9.

rfly over the plantation where he was assistant manager in peacetime, was the recent experience of an Austra lian airman, Pilot-Officer N. C. Sandford.

He joined the AIF in Sydney soon after the outbreak of war, transferred to the RAAF, and is now attached to the US Forces.

His plantation was Numa Numa estate, belonging to Buka Plantations & Trading Co., an Australian concern which has also a large plantation at Bonis, where the Japanese built an aerodrome.

Sandford told me that he was glad to get another look at Bougainville and had for long tried to get up there with the Allied Forces. While on the perimeter he was loaned to the Fijians by the US XIV Corps as an interpreter for local natives and to carry out reconnaissance patrols in the area. One of these patrols was along the Numa Numa trail, but they did not quite get to the plantation, as they encountered an enemy ambush.

Later, Pilot-Officer Sandford was chosen to make a photographic flight for the bomber strike on the sector which included his old plantation. He is of the opinion that, apart from bomb damage, the plantation could be brought into operation again within a year, as the secondary growth has not yet smothered the palms.

“We had 800 cattle, 600 pigs, and at least 5,000 fowls on this 5,000-acre estate,” he said; “also some peacocks, to add an ornamental touch to the place.”

He added that many of their old plantation boys were to-day working with

Angau. "

Although missionaries had for a time tried to end the custom, it was still the way of unmarried Bougainvillians to wear their hair stuffed up inside initia tion hats for a year or two after puberty, so that their hair grew into an enormous mop. A tremendous sing-sing was held when the hats were removed.

Before going to Bougainville, Pilot- Officer Sandford saw service at Milne Bay, Goodenough Island, and Kiriwina, north of Goodenough. He mentioned the names of several old Territorians who have been doing sterling individual work with the Services, including a Mr. Mason, former general manager of Inus Planta tion, Bougainville.