Sydney—Auckland

Shipping And Plane Services

THE following sea and air services are running to schedules in the Pacific.

None of the regular services which were suspended, owing to war conditions, have been restored; but preparations are under way for their early re-introduction.

As they become available they will be announced here.

New Zealand—Fiji—Samoa—Tonga

SERVICE CONDUCTED BY UNION SS CO., LTD.—SUBJECT TO ALTERATION WITHOUT NOTICE

New Zealand—Cook

Is.—Niue—Samoa

rE motor vessel “Maui Pomare,” owned and operated by the NZ Gov ernment, maintains a direct service between Auckland and Rarotonga (Cook Island), with alternative calls at Niue and Apia (Samoa).

Auckland .. .. dep. Nov. 8 Pec. 10 Auckland Nov. 15 Dec. 10 Rarotonga Nov. 22-23 Apia Dec. 17-18 Niue Dec. 20 Auckland Dec. 2 Lyttelton Dec. 28 Details from Islands Department, Gov ernment offices, Wellington, NZ.

Sydney-Norfolk Island-

New Hebrides

rE SS “Morinda,” Burns Philp & Co., Ltd., runs at approximately six seven weeks’ intervals from Sydney to Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, and main ports of the New Hebrides, and return. A regular fixed timetable is not yet practicable, SS “Morinda” will sail approximately on Dec. 1, 1945, Jan. 16, 1946, and March 2, 1946.

The Rev. James Benson, of the Angli can Mission, who was believed to have been killed after his capture by the Japs in N-E Papua in 1942, but who was found near Rabaul when that area was recently liberated, has sent the follow ing message to the ABM headquarters in Sydney: “I have already left the POW feelines far behind. Through the Chap lain-General and others I have heard much of the glorious though terrible story, and what I have to say will fill in many of the gaps, though much will never be known. For my part, after eight months of hell in a Jap military prison (i.e., with Jap prisoners), and some other adventures, I was transferred two years ago to the paradise of the RC Mission at Kokopo, and to the good fathers, sisters and brothers of the Sacred Heart I owe my life.”

The secretary of the Australian Board of Missions, Sydney, the Rev. M. A.

Warren, recently received word that his son, L./Cpl. Lindsay Warren, AIF, died while a POW in Japanese hands.

Miss Inez Hames recently completed 25 years of teaching service with the Methodist Mission in Fiji. She is at pre sent in charge of the Matavele Girls’

School at Nailaga.

Sydney—Auckland

Airways

TASMJAN Empire Airways* Ltd., operate a flying-boat service between Rose Bay, Sydney, and Mechanics Bay, Auckland. Large flying-boats, capable of carrying 20 passengers, are employed. The trip comfortable, and takes from 8 to 10 hours, according to weather.

The flying-boats usually leave Sydney at day light on Tuesdays. Thursdays and Saturdays, and leave Auckland at daylight on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Bookings may be made at the Auckland and Sydney offices of Tasman Empire Airways.

Sydney—Queensland—

Port Moresby Airways

QANTAS Empire Airways, Ltd., employing DC3 planes, operate a regular service between Sydney, Port Moresby and Lae, and return, via Brisbane, Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns.

Planes leave Sydney on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m., and arrive at Lae at noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Planes leave Lae at 5.45 a.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and arrive in Sydney at 10 p.m., accomplishing the Lae-Sydney run in a day.

Bookings may be made at Qantas offices at any of the towns named. At present, berths are available only to passengers holding official per mits to visit Papua or New Guinea.

Matua Matua Matua November December January Auckland 8 6 29 (Dec.) Suva 12-13 10-11 2-3 Vavau 13 Nukualofa 15-16 14 5-6 Vavau 17 7 Apia* 17-20 7-10 Suva 23-24 *13-14 Auckland 28 18 18 * Western time.