For Papua-NG

More Air Services

Qantas Catalina Pioneers Three New Routes

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, June 4.

MOST important event in the Territory, for years, was the recent introduc tion by Qantas of Catalina air services to the neglected areas east and west of Moresby, and between Moresby, New Britain and Bougainville.

The Administration thought it import ant enough for an official send-off by the Deputy Administrator, Judge Bignold, just before the plane left Moresby on May 30 on the first flight of the new services.

In the soft light of approaching dawn, Judge Bignold addressed a small audience consisting of crew and passengers of the Catalina and a few others, including Qantas assistant operations manager, Captain Orme Denny, who got the new services going. Judge Bignold spoke of how the services would benefit adminis tration and commerce, and wished Qantas success.

The Catalina will make fortnightly trips along each of the new routes. The draft itineraries are as follow;

Western Papua Schedule

Alternate Mondays—Tuesdays Depart Moresby, 6 a.m.

Yule Island. Lake Kutubu.

Kerema. Lake Murray.

Kikori. Daru.

On return flight, the plane calls only at Kikori, Kerema and Yule Is. Arrives in Port Moresby at noon.

Fare, Moresby-Daru, £9/15/-.

Eastern Papua Schedule

Alternate Wednesdays and Thursdays Departs Moresby at 9 a.m.

Abau.

Milne Bay.

Samarai, Remains overnight.

Departs Samarai early.

Esa’ala.

Kiriwina (Trobriands).

Woodlark Island (ont.).

Deboyne Lagoon.

Samarai.

Milne Bay.

Abau.

Arrives Moresby about 5 p.m.

Fare Moresby-Samarai, £7.

New Britain-Bougainville

Schedule

Alternate Mondays—Thursdays Departs Moresby 6 a.m.

Moewe Harbour (south coast of New Britain).

Talasea (north coast of New Britain).

Rabaul.

Rabaul to Buka Island.

Kieta (east Bougainville).

Buin (south Bougainville).

Return via Kieta and Buka to Rabaul.

Depart Rabaul, and call at Talasea, Moewe Harbour, Jacquinot Bay (southeast New Britain) and return to Rabaul.

Return to Port Moresby at 11.50 a.m. on Thursday.

Fare, Moresby—Rabaul, £l6.

The Catalina plane will carry 20 European passengers, or 20 natives, and a maxi mum load of 5,000 lb.

The Catalina is the Island Chieftain, which formerly made chartered flights in the Territory for Island Airways. The present skipper, Captain Hugh Birch, and Flight Engineers Ken Smith and Tom Mitchell, were in the plane’s crew when it was flying for Island Airways. Other crew members are First Officer Ross Treadgold and Pursers Arthur Grogan and Keith Rawlings.

Qantas hopes to bring up another Catalina, later, as a reserve plane.

Residents served by the Catalina are looking forward to swift mail deliveries and regular supplies of fresh meat, and most of them are thankful for this chance to avoid travelling on the coastal ships.

IWENT on the first flight of the Moresby-Daru service as the guest of Qantas and I heard plenty of uncomplimentary remarks about the coastal boats.

“It wouldn’t be so bad if only they were clean,’’ said one woman. “I’m just wondering how long it will be before the plane is full of cockroaches, too!”

Passengers on this historic first trip (Western Papua) were the Rev. and Mrs.

E. R. Fenn, of the LMS, who were re turning from leave with their two child ren; Mr. B. W. Brazier, of the Treasury Department, bound for Daru on business; Mr. C. McCubbery, Deputy Crown Law Officer, who made the round trip on

official business; Dr. Pike, who went to Daru on inspectipn work; and Assistant District Officer Sid Smith.

Mr. Smith will re-open the Government post at Lake Kutubu, and he went on this first flight to tell the natives there that the Government would soon be returning.

Because of bad weather, however the Catalina had to by-pass Lake Kutubu.

Sid will go there on the next trip.

Young Peter Burchett boarded the plane at Yule Island for the round trip, and a number of natives were also carried.

At Lake Murray, Patrol Officer Ken Earle and Dr. Boyd were so eager to reach the Catalina that their launch hit the

tail-end of the fuselage, denting it and knocking a native policeman from the launch into the water.

The overnight stop was made at Kikori, where passengers and crew were accom modated in the homes of District Officer C. Healey, and Patrol Officer “Speed”

Graham. Later, Qantas hopes to have its own rest house at Kikori.

Warm welcomes were given the Catalina crew at all stopping-places; but the wel comes would have been warmer except for one thing—through no fault of Qantas, there was no fresh meat aboard. The crew assured disappointed residents that it would not happen again.

Incidentally, the Qantas plane wnich arrives from Australia on Saturdays now goes to Bulolo and Wau, as well as to Lae,