Samoa—Tonga
pp. 77-82 · Read in the full issue
Shipping And Plane Services
THE following sea and air services are running to schedules in the Pacific.
Not all of the regular services which were suspended, owing to war condi tions. have been restored; but preparations are under way for their early reintroduction. As they become available they will be announced here.
Ship Services
Australia—North
America
THE regular passenger Trans-Pacific liners, withdrawn during the war, have not been restored.
Canadian-Pacific liner “Aorangi” (Sydney- Aucklarid - Suva - Honolulu - Vancouver) resumed running in August, 1948. A sister liner is expected soon. See time-table in following column.
Matson liners “Monterey” and “Mariposa” are not now expected back in the Pacific service.
Matson ship “Marine Phoenix,” carrying pas sengers, ran on a regular schedule—San Fran cisco-Honolulu-Suva-Auckland-Sydney; but was withdrawn in August, 1948.
New Zealand—Fiji—
Samoa—Tonga
Monthly Service by MV “Matua”
Service Conducted By Union Ss Co.,
Ltd.—Subject To Alteration Without
Notice
New Caledonia
THE New Caledonian Government has sub sidised and maintained the coastal ship ping services. The East Coast, the West Coast, and the Loyalty Islands, under present conditions, receive 10 round trips per annum The ships call at the following ports: (Continued Next Page)
Sydney-NZ-Fiji-Hawaii-Nth. America
r F' HE Canadian-Australasian liner “Aorangi” (17,500 tons) recommenced a trans-Pacific service -1- between Sydney and North America in August. Her itinerary is Sydney, Auckland Suva (Plii) Honolulu (Hawaii). Victoria (Vancouver Island), and Vancouver (British Columbia Canada) Time table for the Pacific section of her run is:—
Auckland Apr. 14 May 12 June 9 Suva Apr. 18-19 May 16-17 June 13-14 Nukualofa Apr. 21-22 May 19-20 June 16-17 Vavau Apr. 23 May 21 June 18 Niue* — May 21 Pago Pago* Apr. 23 — June 18 Apia* Apr. 24-26 May 22-24 June 19-21 Vavau — — — Nukualofa — — — Suva Apr. 29-30 May 27-28 June 24-25 Auckland May 4 June 1 June 29 ♦Western Time.
Honolulu Mar. 31 KMS “Aorangl”
June 2 Aug. 4 Oct. 27 Suva Apr. Sr June 11 Aug. 13 Nov. 5 Auckland Apr. 12-14 June 14-16 Aug. 16-18 Nov. 8-10 Sydney, arr.
Apr. 18 June 20 Aug. 22 Nov. 14 Sydney, dep.
Apr. 28 June 30 Sept. 22 Nov. 24 Auckland May 2-3 July 4-5 Sept. 26-27 Nov. 28-29 Suva May 6 July 8 Sept. 30 Dec. 2 Honolulu May 13 July 15 Oct. 7 Dec. 9 Subject to Alterations Without Notice.
EAST COAST.—Yate, Ounia, Thio, Nakety, Canala, Kouaoua Kua, Moneo, Ponerfhouen, Tibarama, Poindlmie, Wagap, Touho, Tlpindje, Hienghene, Tao, Oubatch, Pouebo, Balade, Pam, Arama, and return.
WEST COAST. —Pouembout, Kone, Temala, Voh, Ouaco Gomen, Koumac, Tangaiou, Tiebaghl, Nehoue Poume, Baaba, Belep and return.
LOYALTY ISLANDS—Mare (Tadine), Llfou (Chepenehe) Ouvea (Fajaoue, St. Joseph) and return.
The steamer “Neo Hebridais” runs regularly between Noumea and Sydney, with occasional trips to the New Hebrides (mostly Aneityum).
The owners are Societe Maritime et Manlere Hagen, Noumea. Sydney agents: H. C. Sleigh, 254 George Street, Sydney.
New Zealand—Cook
Is.—Niue—Samoa
fTTHE motor vessel “Maui Pomare,”
X owned and operated by the NZ Gov ernment, maintains a direct service between Auckland and Rarotonga (Cook Islands), with alternative calls at Niue and Apia (Samoa).
Next sailing of vessel from Auckland is ex pected about mid-April.
Sydney-Norfolk Island-
New Hebrides
THE SS “Morinda,” Burns, Philp & Co., Ltd., runs at approximately three monthly intervals from Sydney to Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, and main ports of the New Hebrides, and re turn.
Air Services
Summary of Pacific Air
Services
PAPUA AND NEW GUlNEA.—Regular Qantas service from Sydney.
SOLOMON ISLANDS.—Frequent regular flying boat service from Sydney by Trans Oceanic Airways.
NEW HEBRlDES.—Frequent regular flying-boat service from Sydney by Trans Oceanic Air ways. Service from Noumea by French plane runs twice weekly. Qantas plane from Sydney to NH on alternate Thursdays.
NORFOLK ISLAND.—Regular service from NZ by NZ National Airways; from Sydney by Qantas.
LORD HOWE ISLAND. —Regular weekly service from Sydney by Qantas and Trans Oceanic Airways.
FlJl.—Regular services from Australia by Pan American and BCPA (to Nadi); Auckland by NZ National Airways (to Nadi); from Australia
by Qanias (to Laucala Bay, Suva); from Auckland by NZ National Airways (to Laucala Bay, Suva). Irregular calls from Australia to Laucala Bay, Suva, by Trans Oceanic Air ways. Regular service from Suva to Labasa by NZ National Airways.
Western Samoa, Cook Islands And
TONGA. —Regular service from Fiji by NZ National Airways.
TAHITI. —Infrequent service from Noumea by TRAPAS plane.
AUSTRALIA-NEW ZEALAND.—ReguIar service by Tasman Empire Airways.
AUSTRALIA-NORTH AMERICA.—Regular Trans pacific services by Pan American Airways and
Bcpa.
NZ National Airways
South Pacific Services
THE Pacific services run by the New Zealand National Airways Corporation are as follows: —
Auckland-Laucala Bay (Suva): A “Sun
derland” flying-boat leaves Mechanics Bay, Auckland, at 7 a.m. each Saturday for Laucala Bay, Suva (arrives 3.30 p.m.).
The aircraft departs from Laucala Bay, Suva, on the return journey at 7.30 a.m. each Monday, and arrives at Mechanics Bay, Auckland, at 4 p.m.
Laucala Bay (Suva)-Labasa (Vanua
LEVU): A “Sunderland” flying-boat operates this service on a charter basis. A return trip is made between Laucala Bay and Labasa each Sunday.
Auckland-Norfolk Island-Fiji-Tonga
Western Samoa-Cook Islands: A “Douglas”
airliner leaves Whenuapai, Auckland, on alter nate Sundays at 8.30 a.m. (March 20; April 3, 17; May 1) for Norfolk Island (arr. 12.30 p.m., dep. 12.1 a.m. Monday), Nadi (arr. 6.55 a.m., dep. 5.40 a.m. Tuesday), Nausori (arr. 6.30 a.m., dep. 7.15 a.m.), Tonga (arr. 10.45 a.m., dep. 11.45 a.m.), *Apia, Western Samoa (arr. 4.10 p.m. Monday, dep. 7.45 a.m. Tuesday), Aitutaki, Cook Islands (arr. 1.50 p.m., dep. 2.45 p.m.) and Rarotonga, Cook Islands (arr. 4.5 p.m.).
The aircraft departs from Rarotonga on the return journey at 7.30 a.m. on alternate Thursdays (March 24; April 7, 21; May 5) for Aitutaki (arr. 8.50 a.m., dep. 9.45 a.m.), Apia,
Western Samoa (arr. 3.35 p.m., dep. 8 a.m.
Friday), *Tonga (arr. 11.15 a.m. Saturday, dep. 12.15 p.m.), Nausori (arr. 3.10 p.m., dep. 4.15 p.m.), Nadi (arr. 5.5 p.m., dep. 2 a.m. Sunday), Norfolk Island (arr. 8.10 a.m., dep. 1 p.m.), and Whenuapai, Auckland (arr. 5.45 p.m.).
An additional return service between Raro tonga and Aitutaki is operated on alternate Wednesdays when traffic warrants. •Crosses International Date Line.
Auckland-Norfolk Island; A “Douglas”
airliner leaves Whenuapai, Auckland, every Sun day at 8.15 a.m. for Norfolk Island (arr. 12.15 p.m.), and departs on the return flight at 1.15 p.m., arriving at Whenuapai at 6 p.m.
FARES, single (in NZ currency): Auckland to Norfolk, £l2/10/-; to Fiji, £3l; to Tonga, £3l; to Samoa, £34; to Aitutaki, £3?; to Raro tonga, £39/10/-. Norfolk to FIJI, £l9. Fiji to Tonga, £B/15/-; to Samoa, £l3; to Aitutaki, £29/15/-; to Rarotonga, £3l. Samoa to Raro tonga, £l7/15/-; to Aitutaki, £l6/10/-; Suva to Labasa, £4/10/-. Return fares, less 10 per cent.
BOOICING OFFICES: Wellington, Govt. Life Bldg., Customhouse Quay; Auckland Airways House, Customs St.; Dunedin, 8-10 Manse St.; Christchurch, Union SS Co., 168 Hereford 3t.; Gisborne, 74 Peel St.; Palmerston Nth., 107 Broadway Ave.; Hamilton, 8 Alma St.; Rotorua, Airport Bid., Fenton St.; Norfolk Is., Burns Philp, Ltd.; Fiji, NAC at Nadi and Suva; Burns Philp, Labasa and Lautoka; Tonga, Mrs.
F, F. Melhose, Fou-amotu Airfield: W. Samoa, Burns Philp (SS), Ltd., Apia; Cook Is., Mrs. P, McVeagh, Aitutaki, and Mr. J. D. Campbell, Rarotonga.
Sydney-Vancouver
BCPA Service
BRITISH Commonwealth Pacific Airlines, Ltd., operate a twice weekly trans-Paciflc service from Sydney to Vancouver, via Fiji, Canton Island, Honolulu and San Francisco; and a weekly service between Auckland and Vancouver, via the same ports.
Planes leave Sydney every Wednesday and Saturday, and Vancouver on the Southbound trip every Monday and Thursday. Every fourth trip from Sydney terminates at San Francisco instead of Vancouver.
Planes Leave Auckland every Tuesday and arrive In Vancouver the following Wednesday.
The Southbound trip to Auckland commences from Vancouver every alternate Friday. Every other Friday the service commences at San Francisco.
Fares are (in Australian currency): Sydney- San Francisco, £2OO single and £360 return; Auckland-Vancouver, £AlO’B single; Auckland- Nadi (Fiji), £A39; Sydney-Nandi, £ASS.
Douglas DC6 aircraft carrying 48 passengers (seated) or 37 passengers (in sleepers) and a crew of nine are used on the service.
Pan-American—
Trans-Pacific Service
PAN-AMERICAN World Airways clippers now provide the following services in the South Pacific, using DC4 planes, equipped with Sleep erettes:— Planes leave Sydney every Friday for San Francisco, via Tontouta (New Caledonia), Nandi (Fiji), Canton Island and Honolulu. EVery Tuesday and Sunday, the planes leave Sydney for San Francisco, via Tontouta, Nandi, Canton
Island, Honolulu and Los Angeles. The return flights are made from San Francisco every Tues day, Thursday and Saturday, via Honolulu, Canton Island, Nandi and Tontouta.
Planes leave Auckland every Tuesday and Thursday, and fly via Nandi. Canton Island and Honolulu to Portland and Seattle. They leave Seattle for Auckland every Sunday and Friday by the same route. Fares, in Australian cur rency, are:—
(Time-tables and fares subject to alteration without notice.) To convert to Fiji currency, reduce above figures by about 10 per cent.
Free baggage aUowance is 66 lb. per person Excess baggage at 1 per cent, of single fare for each kilogram of excess (1 ki10—2.2 lb.).
Trans-Tasman Service
Sydney—Auckland
HPASMAN Empire Airways, Ltd., operate a A flying-boat service between Rose Ray.
Sydney, and Mechanics Bay, Auckland. Large flying-boats, capable of carrying 30 passengera, are employed. The trip is comfortable, and takes approximately 8 hours.
The flying-boats leave both Sydney (6.30 a.m.) and Auckland (8 a.m.) every morning, including Sunday—seven flights each way per week. Fares: £35 (A) (£2B NZ currency) single; £63 (A) (£5O/8/- NZ currency) return.
In addition, this flying-boat service is, at pre sent, supplemented by a Skymaster service, details of which are available on application to T.E.A.L. offices in Australia and New Zealand.
Bookings may be made at Tasman Empire Airways in Auckland and at Qantas Empire Air ways, Carrington Street, Sydney.
Sydney-Noumea-Suva
THE following is the time-table of the Qantas flying-boat:— Sydney dep. 9 p.m. alt. Tues.
Noumea .. . . arr. 6.55 a.m. alt. Wed.
Noumea dep. 7.55 a.m. alt Wed.
Suva arr. 2.55 p.m. alt. Wed.
Suva dep. 6 a.m. alt. Frid.
Noumea arr. 11 a.m, alt. Frid.
Noumea dep. 12 noon alt. Frid.
Sydney arr. 7.45 p.m. alt. Frici.
Intending passengers may book through Qantas offices in Australia. Burns, Phllp (South Seas) Company, in Suva; and T. Johnston in Noumea.
£ s. d. £ s. d.
Sydney-’Prisco . , . 200 0 0 360 0 0 Sydney-Piji 0 0 99 1 3 Sydney-Honolulu . .. 166 17 6 300 6 3 Auckland-’Frisco .. 184 1 3 331 5 0
Auckland-ttoholulu .■ 150 18 0 271 11 3 Auckland-Pljl .. 39 1 3 70 6 3 Plji-’Frlsco .. 0 0 260 18 9
Fares: To Noumea, £35 single: £63 return.
To Suva, £52/10/- single; £94/10/- return.
Noumea-Suva, £l7/10/- single; £3l/10/- re turn.
Sydney—Queensland—
New Guinea
QANTAS Empire Airways, Ltd., employing DCS planes, operate a regular service between Sydney, Port Moresby, Lae, Finschhafen, Madang, and Rabaul, and return, via Brisbane, Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns.
This service is now known as the “Bird of Paradise” Service. DCS aircraft, carrying 19 passengers, are usea.
Planes leave Sydney on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 9 a.m., and arrive at Lae at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The plane which leaves Sydney on Wednesday and arrives at Lae on Thursday then goes on to Rabaul. It returns on Friday. The plane, which arrives at Lae on Tuesdays, then goes on to Madang, returning to Lae the same day.
Planes leave Lae at 5.45 a.m. on Wednesdays, Saturday and Sunday, and arrive in Sydney at 10 p.m., accomplishing the Lae-Sydney run in a day.
The return plane from Rabaul leaves at 1.30 p.m. on Fridays.
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.
Sydney-Lord Howe ls.-
Norfolk Is.
QANTAS, Sydney, run a Catalina once weekly from Sydney to Lord Howe Island. Fare, single, £l2. Return, £2l/12/-.
Qantas run a land plane alt. Thursdays (re turning same day) from Sydney to Norfolk Island. Fare. £22 single; £39/12/- return. (For Norfolk Island, see also under NZ National Airways. For Lord Howe, see also under TOA.)
Noumea-Fiji-Tahiti
nPRAPAS (a French company with headquarters J- in Noumea) ran an air service once a month from Noumea (New Caledonia), via Nadi (Fiji) and Altutaki (Cook Islands) to Papeete (Tahiti), and return.
The Trapas Co. also runs a service to New Hebrides—see under Caledonia-New Hebrides.
Papua-NG Local
Services
MANDATED Airlines, Ltd., of Lae, New Guinea, and other private operators, run air ser vices between Lae and the New Guinea mainland centres of Wau, Bulolo, Madang, Wewak, Aitape, Mt. Hagen, Finschhafen, Moresby, Kokoda—in
fact anywhere in Papua or New Guinea where there is an air-strip. These planes carry pas sengers, mails and cargo on regular schedules or charter flights.
Guinea Air Traders Ltd., of Lae, New Guinea, employ six aircraft on local services, and on charter work.
Under arrangement with the Administration, a Qantas plane, carrying Administration personnel and cargo, and mails, flies once each week from Lae to Rabaul, Kavieng and Manus, and returns to Lae by the same route.
New Caledonia—New
Hebrides-—Tahiti
A TRAPAS amphibian runs twice each week £"*• between New Caledonia and New Hebrides.
The days vary, but on the selected day the planes adhere to the following time-table:— Noumea—dep. 0630. Vila—arr. 1315 Vila—dep. 0945 Santo—arr. 1115 Santo—dep. 1145 Vila—arr. 0900 Vila—dep. 1400 Noumea—arr. 1630 A TRAPAS plane runs monthly between Noumea and Tahiti.
TOA Services
TRANS Oceanic Airways run the following Pacific services:— SYDNEY-LORD HOWE IS.: A regular fort nightly service with large four-engine flying boats from Rose Bay. Fare: £ll single; £2l return. Free baggage allowance 50 lb Excess baggage and freight rate 6d. per lb.
SYDNEY-NEW HEBRIDES: A regular monthly service with large four-engine flying-boats from Sydney, via Noumea (overnight stop), to Vila and Espiritu Santo. Fare: Sydney-Vila, £45; Sydney-Santo, £5O; Noumea-Vila, £l2/10/-; Noumea-Santo. £lB/15/-. Freight: Sydney-Vila, 2/- per lb.; Sydney-Santo, 2/3.
Sydney-Solomon Islands: A Regular
monthly service from Sydney, via New Cale donia and New Hebrides to Tulagi, Solomon Islands. This service is frequently extended to Lingatou, in the Russell Islands, and calls are sometimes made at Vanikoro, in the Santa Cruz Group. Fares: Sydney-Tulagi, £65. Free bag gage allowance, 60 lb.; excess baggage and freight, 3/- per lb.