They Drifted For Three

Days

From Our Own Correspondent

Rabaul, Aug. 10.

RECENTLY, Mr. Alf Areana, popular foreman of Department of Civil Aviation, had a gruel ling experience in the small ship Gawa, owned by the Gilmore Brothers.

The vessel had been chartered by DCA to carry Mr. Areana and an Inspector from Lae, on a survey trip to inspect the strip at Jacquinot Bay and Pal Mai Mai.

Engine trouble developed on the return trip, and the Gawa drifted .helplessly for three days. Water and food supplies were limited.

Mr. Areana’s personal boy, a native from the village of Nonga, showed remarkable fortitude. A raft was improvised, but it was obviously unseaworthy. One of the natives panicked; and, although he could not swim, jumped on to the raft, and announced that he was going to sail to the mainland and seek help..

George, the Nonga native, promptly jumped in after him, and "‘swam” the raft. He covered a dis tance of 51 miles in this fashion.

Shortly after George had left, the Gawa was sighted by the Arcs, an overseas ship; and, seeing the frantic signals of distress from the

benighted sailors, the Arcs towed her to Rabaul.

In the meantime, having com pleted his long swim, George learned that the Gawa had been rescued, and that all was now well with his master.

Editorial Footnote. —The most re markable feature of this incident is that a DCA official and party should

be missing for three days, and that no DCA plane went out to look for it.

Britain has made another grant of £250,000 (making £500,000 alto gether) for the rehabilation and development of the University of Hongkong, heavily damaged and looted during the war.