for Qantas Proposed

Central Pacific Service for Qantas Proposed Nauru and BSI Will Benefit

IT is expected that towards the end of December, Qantas Empire Airways will make a survey of an air-route from Australia, via New Britain and Guadalcanal, in BSI, to Nauru.

Qantas Airways in Sydney can give few definite details of this service, apart from the fact that it is part of the “long-range plan of the Company,” and that the first survey flight will take place this month.

Qantas is, of course, now owned by the Australian Government but this fact seems in no way to short-circuit the red tape. It is understood that the first survey flight and subsequent flights await the OK of the Australian Civil

Aviation Department.

When the preliminary survey flights are made it is likely that an irregular “charter” service will operate along the route for the time being. This will in no way be an extension of the Bird of Paradise service at present runniiig to New Guinea, although the route flown will probably be via Port Moresby and Rabaul.

Meanwhile, in Nauru the following has been published in the Administration roneo-ed newspaper: “Unless the unforeseen happens, Nauru will have an air link with Australia by mid-December.

“The new air service which will be operated by Qantas Empire Airways— British Phosphate Commissioners will be the first commercial air link in the Central Pacific. Complete details of the route are not yet known, but the service is expected to operate via New Guinea and Henderson airfield (Guadalcanal).

“Guadalcanal is 675 nautical miles from Nauru.

“The first chartered plane, a two engined Douglas DC3, will carry twelve passengers, including the Assistant Gen eral Manager of the British Phosphate Commissioners, Mr. F. Christian. Two radio technicians are en route to Nauru to instal communication facilities.

“The air strip on Nauru at present is being made serviceable. Located on the south-west of the island, it is 4500 feet long and 300 feet wide.”

As the proposed service is apparently being run in co-operation with the British Phosphate Commissioners, it seems logical that the service will be extended to Ocean Island, although both Qantas Airways and the “Nauru Times’ are silent on that point.

Residents of Nauru and British Solo mons will, at all events, welcipme an air service, even if it officiallv is onlv ap “irregular, charter” service. Qantas Em pire Airways has in the past two years provided the only reliable public utility in Papua-New Guinea. Without this Company’s efficient service between Aus tralia and the Territory, conditions in Papua-New Guinea, bad as they are to-day, would be infiinitely worse. « Mr. Ralph Ormsby returned by air to New Guinea this month, after holidaying in and about Sydney. He is attached to District Services in the Sepik area. He hopes to make his home station in time to hold the usual Christmas sing-song, which is quite an event in that locality.

Messrs. Burns Philp (SS) Co’s motor launch “Tui Labasa” arrived at Apia from Suva, Fiji, in November. The “Tui Labasa” is to operate for the Samoan branch of Burns Philp until a new motor launch, now being built locally, is com pleted. The “Tui Labasa” brought a cargo of Fiji sugar and biscuits.