Indonesian Castaways In

New Guinea

THERE were several reports in Aus tralian newspapers at the end of March concerning the alleged dis covery of the survivors of a plane crash in New Guinea. It was reported that half a dozen Indonesians had been found in the Witu Islands (a small group just north of New Britain). They could not speak English but it was understood from what they said that they were the sur vivors of a Dutch plane which had crashed there a couple of years ago.

Preparations were made to fully in vestigate this occurrence: but later in formation indicated that the Indonesians had arrived there in a prau some two years ago, having been blown far out of their course when they were trying to get from Morotai to the Dutch East Indies.

Captain Charles Blake, who runs a small vessel out of Rabaul, told the American United Press on the radiophone that he had seen the Indonesians lately, and he did not think that they were the survivors of a plane complement.

After that, preparations to send a Cata lina from Port Moresby to investigate were cancelled.

Mr. Gobrait Ballow, aged 89, died in Tahiti in March, after a long illness. His son, Adram, is part owner of the new motorship “Vaihinano,” which arrived re cently in Papeete to join the merchant marine in French Oceania.