The New Hcwp
p. 23 · Read in the full issue
Honiara Not in High Favour as HQ
P|ESPITE official reticence regarding the probable future organisa ion of the High Commission for the Western Pacific, the pattern is be oming clearer.
The Governor of Fiji ceased to be ligh Commissioner for Western ’acific in April. The present Secre cy, Mr. Chamberlain, whose head uarters are in Suva, is acting as HC. ’he newly-appointed HC, Mr. R. C.
'. Stanley is believed to be on his ray to the South Seas, but the date f his arrival has not been nnounced.
Several months ago, plans were foot to make an early transfer of he Commission’s headquarters to [oniara, in the Solomons; from which oint Solomons, Gilbert and Ellice nd British side of the New Hebrides ould be administered. But it was >und impossible to provide the neces iry accommodation in Honiara in me; so HCWP headquarters will jmain in Suva for a time—some ly, two years.
HCWP now is really feeling the andicap imposed by the hurried, ill ivised decision to establish adminis ative headquarters, after the war Honiara (Guadalcanal’s north aast). If the excellent, but war iasted port of Tulagi had to be aandoned, there were several places i BSI where a completely sheltered art could have been secured, plus ifficient flat country to provide an r-strip.
Honiara is only a partly-sheltered >rt; the last of its war-built wharves is collapsed; and big ships now are fliged to use Tulagi, 20 miles away, his makes it very difficult to trans it material and personnel for the ilarged “capital.” Little wonder at the new HC is in no hurry to ) there.
Henderson airfield (on Guadal nal, behind Honiara) is being pre yed to receive the big 4-engined aft of Qantas, who propose to co >erate with the new HCWP by nning a service from Lae (New uinea) via Honiara and Nauru to irawa (Gilbert Islands).
Mr. G. Buscombe of the Depart ed of Civil Aviation, Norfolk Is nd, is taking a 3-months course in elbourne. He will later be joined i the mainland by Mrs. Buscombe, d they will holiday in New Zealand fore their return to Norfolk in ptember.