Nadi As Aerial

Gateway For

Fiji Tourist Traffic

r BLOWING upon the decision of the South Pacific Air Transport Council in Melbourne, that the Fiji inter national airport should be at Nadi in stead of Suva Point, the notices given to Suva Point property owners (that their land was to be acquired for an airport) have been formally withdrawn.

The international air authorities con cerned (especially Fiji and New Zealand) are now giving attention to the problem of providing suitable amenities for stop over travellers at Nadi.

JARETT HILDER, almost as well-known now as an artist as he is a sea captain, will hold an exhibition of water colours in Anthony Hordern’s Art Gallery, Sydney, between September 12-24.

Each picture is a study of a member of one of the native races of the Pacific basin—Mela nesian, Polynesian, Micronesian; Chinese, Indians, Malays, etc., are also represented.

Critics have already called this collection of his work unique.

Great trouble has been taken to frame and mount the water colours in a manner typical of their Island origin.

At present, there is a kind of a hostel —much improved in the last year or two, but still primitive—at Nadi airport; a small but fairly modern hotel at the Indian town of Nadi, a couple of miles away; and a large European hotel at Lautoka, nearly 20 miles away.

Fiji is anxious to secure tourist traf fic; but Nadi airport is isolated on the bare and uninteresting northwestern plain—an ideal airport, but not in the least attractive. Its chief drawback is the difficulty and expense of getting from Nadi to more civilised and beautiful places. Suva, for example, is 130 miles away. It now is planned, however, to run a flying-boat service between the northwest (presumably from Lautoka) and Suva; and this at least will encourage toui’ists to “stop over.”

An aerial photograph of the bulk oil terminal which has just been opened at Lae.