Pacific Islands

Monthly Is

Now 20 Years Old

WITH this issue, the Pacific Islands Monthly completes 20 years of life.

It was published first in August. 1930.

It has survived one Depression, one World War, and one Post-war Disturbance. Its editors believe that it has succeeded reasonably well, in its effort to give useful service to the communities of the Pacific Islands.

The first half of 1942, in the middle of World War 11, brought a unique ex perience to the publisher of the PIM.

The Japanese invaded the South-west Pacific and, almost overnight, half of the PIM circulation and most of its ad vertisements disappeared. Its subscribers were either fighting in the tropical iungles, or were refugees in Australia.

New Zealand or Polynesia; and the people who directed their business an nouncements to Islands readers were now wholly engaged on vital war work.

However, the PIM never missed an issue. Instead of being a news-review and magazine, it became a monthly record of the War in the Pacific. In 1945-46, as the Islanders went back to their battered mines, stores and plantations, the PIM regained its readers and its advertisers— and, we hone, its capacity for giving use ful service.

With the goodwill and support of our innumerable friends in the Islands, and of business folk and institutions in Aus tralia, New Zealand and the older countries, we have enjoyed our 20 years of Islands journalism. We hope that those cordial relations will long continue.

Distribution By Air

ONE important change has occurred in those 20 years. To an increasing degree, the PIM is reaching its readers in Papua-New Guinea by air transport. This movement is to be ac celerated, and cheapened and widened.

In a plan to give quick delivery, at re duced rates, we have been met in a generous way by Qantas Empire Airways Ltd. We hope, at an early date, to an nounce a special subscription rate for the PIM, under which the journal will be delivered to readers bv air very soon after publication, in all islands reached bv the Qantas services, including the Fiji area.