iak, Wartime Base,

Becomes Airways Town

From Our Own Correspondent

Hollandia, Feb. 4.

[THEN plans for Biak, the island f off the north coast of Dutch New Guinea, become a reality, e island will be unrecognisable to istralian servicemen who knew it an Allied base during the war. ten it was an endless pattern of lite coral, criss-crossed by air ids from where planes took off bomb the Japs.

Biak now is a stopping place on i Royal Dutch Airlines Constel ion route from Sydney to Amster m. When KLM opened the ser e in December, 1950, accommoda n for passengers on their over fht stop at Biak was very poor t plans were immediately made ■ the building of a hotel to cost [O,OOO. The hotel will have 46 in-bedded rooms, dining room, :, offices and lounges with large idows with magnificent views ir the sea. The building contract 3 been let to an Amsterdam firm i all material has been specially mite-proofed so that the voraci i local white ants will not eat i building down within a few ,rs. A pumping plant will supply hotel with water and a tennis irt will provide exercise for

passengers. The hotel was pre fabricated in Holland, work began in Biak last November and it is ex pected that the hotel will be officially opened by July, this year.

The hotel is only part of the de velopment plan for Biak. The 6,900 ft Mokmer airstrip where the big planes land will be improved and covered with an impregnated layer of asphalt and new terminal and air-radio buildings will be set up.

Over 50 permanent houses for air port staff and government officials will be built, as well as a post office and hospital.

Lastly, Radio-Omroep-Nieuw- Guinea, the Government broadcast ing service now stationed at Sen tani, near Hollandia, will be re moved to Biak at the end of this year. Sentani is not suitable for radio transmission. A new radio transmitter which is 20 times as powerful as the present unit at Sen tani is now being built in Holland for the new station at Biak.