New Tourist Enterprise in Fiji

Around The Yasawas

A MOTOR boat service which should make a strong appeal to visitors to Fiji, who have only a limited time in which to see the outlying attractions of the group, has been established recently by Mr. Trevor S. Withers, of Suva.

Mr. Withers is running the large motor cutter Turaga Levu between Lautoka and the Yasawa Islands, on a schedule which allows passengers to spend three days, or a week, in and around this most beautiful archipelago—scene of the filming of many of the scenes in “The Blue Lagoon.”

Persons arriving at the international airport Nadi, could break off, motor 15 miles to Lautoka, catch the motor-cutter spend three or four days in the Yasawas and return and resume the trans-Pacific air journey, at an absurdly small cost in time and money. The interruption in the air shedule would be almost negligible.

TT J A he Turaga Levu was built in Baltimore, USA for wartime purposes. Mr Withers bought her in Fiji after the Americans had finished with her, re-designed and re-engined her, and based her on Lautoka, as part of a tourist enterprise. ls l / as^i > ver y attractive in appearance, and she has goqd accomodation for a complement of five, forward, and for eight passengers, amidships and aft.

The big islands of Fiji are surrounded oy small archipelagoes, of which the two most famed for their unspoiled beauty are the Lau group, and the Yasawas. On ner full schedule, occupying a week, the Turaga Levu travels the full length of me Yasawa chain, calling at many lovely

and interesting little islands. On the 3i days schedule, the distance travelled and the places visited are reduced.

Mr. Withers is himself in charge of the Turaga Levu, and if he carries out his plans for making this run attractive to tourists, he should enjoy a considerable success. His chief problem will be that of making the attraction known to trans pacific air travellers before they complete their bookings.

The BSI Protectorate Government is asking for designs suitable for its new issue of postage stamps. There will be 15 stamps in denominations of id, Id, lid, 2d, 2|d, 3d, 4d, sd, 6d, 1/-, 2/-, 2/6, 5/-. 10/- and £l. Each stamp must include the King’s head with crown, and in addition some of the birds, canoes or scenic views of the Solomons.

Twenty per cent, of the proceeds of the prize money of one week’s “Courier-Mail”

Find-the-Ball competition was donated to the Australian Board of Missions to help repair the Anglican Mission which was destroyed by the Mt. Lamington eruption in New Guinea.