First Canadian Airliner
p. 41 · Read in the full issue
At Nadi, Fiji
From Our Own Correspondent SUVA. July 18.
THE official Canadian party, travelling in the pre-inaugural flight of Cana dian Pacific Airlines' “Empress of Sydney,” was welcomed at Nadi Airport on July 13.
The Mocambo lounge had been lavishly decorated, and an Islands string band intailed; hula-skirted girls garlanded the visitors with leis.
The official party of welcome included the manager of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand in Fiji (Mr. D.
A. Butler); the Nadi Airport manager (Mr. J. Turner); the District Commis sioner Western (Mr. C. Harley Nott); Sir Hugh Ragg; the Mayor of Suva (Mr. Al port Barker); the Fiji Publicity Board’s officer at Nadi Airport (Mr. R. A. Hew lett) ; the chairman of the Lautoka Town Board (Mr. C. A. Adams); and the manager of the Lautoka office of the USS Company. (The USS Company is the local agent for CPA).
There was a large gathering of Lautoka and Nadi residents to greet the plane when it arrived at 9.37 p.m. and before the 33 Canadians left for Sydney next morning they expressed warm apprecia tion of the friendliness and informality of their welcome to Fiji.
The “Empress of Sydney” arrived back at Nadi at 9.20 a.m. on July 18. Twenty members of the Canadian party went to Suva by a special Dakota flight to Nausori Airport and the remainder travelled by road, arriving in the late afternoon.
Apart from a motor tour arranged for the early arrivals, there was time only for a cocktail party at the Grand Pacific Hotel. Most of the travellers seized the
opportunity for an early night in the last stage of a strenuous tour.
This is the largest group of Govern ment, commercial, newspaper and other representatives to visit Fiji in one air liner.
Jack, a New Hebrides native teacher of the Presbyterian Mission, will visit New Zealand with the Rev. C. K. Crump, when he returns to the Dominion on leave.
Mr. T. Taverner, lately of Suva, but for a number of years on the office staff of the associated gold-mining companies at Vatukoula, Fiji, died on July 18.
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Rundahl made a “round trip” to Papua-New Guinea in the July-August “Bulolo”. Mr. Rundahl formerly was a well-known planter in New Britain, but he is now settled in South Australia, where he is interested in stock-breeding and the film industry.