Honolulu-Papeete

Air Line

New Set-Up Affects Tahiti and S. Pacific Generally

i N important rearrangement of Ik air-transport and hotel facilities in the Eastern Pacific indicates iat Tahiti is making its biggest id for American tourist traffic.

Well-endowed Americans, eager enjoy Pacific Islands pleasures, uve greatly enriched Hawaii. But onolulu is now more of a modern merican city than an Islands re :rt, and discriminating travellers ive been looking farther afield, id especially to the South Pacific.

Tahiti, for years, has been taking Dnolulu’s place in song and story; id now the drift towards French 3eania has begun.

There are several hotels in Tahiti -day; but the three most ready cater for rich visitors are Les •opiques, the Grand, and the >yal Tahitian. Two are in a rden and seaside setting, a little stance out; but the Grand, large d recently completed, is right in e town.

Les Tropiques has just been taken er by Captain F. I. L. Barnes, of dney, and Mr. Don Beachcomber, Honolulu—Mr. and Mrs. Barnes d their two children arrived in peete in April. Mr. J. G. Haddad, 10 is to be head-waiter, arrived out the same time—he had been bh Romano’s, in Sydney, for the it two or three years.

South Pacific Airlines

’ was announced in New York on April 25 that South Pacific Air lines had purchased two Solent ingined flying-boats from Trans eanic Airways, of Sydney, and ;y would be used to maintain a ekly service between Honolulu d Tahiti, via Christmas Island, is new Co. is connected with Uar Associates, a well-known lerican corporation, is indicated in PIM a few months >, Captain Brian Monkton under of Trans Oceanic Airways) 1 Captain Barnes are interested the formation of South Pacific lines; and Captain Monkton is present in Sydney, and has taken r the two Solents on behalf of new Company. They are under ag overhaul at Rose Bay, Sydney paratory to the flight to Hono i. •he completion of this work, and provision of landing and fuel facilities at Christmas Island heated as the half-way stop be en Honolulu and Papeete) may e a few weeks; but it is expected t South Pacific Airlines will in the regular service in time take care of the 1953 tourist son.

The establishment of this important air-link between Tahiti and the United States will be a develcpment of major economic importance to French Oceania.

It is also an important step in South Pacific Airways organisation.

For example, it will provide trans- Pacific travellers with a very attractive round trip. Instead of flying both ways by the Sydney-Fiji- Canton-Honolulu route, they can use that route in one direction only; and, going in the opposite direction, they can break off in Honolulu, and go by South Pacific Airlines to Tahiti; then by the new TEAL service to Samoa and Fiji; and in Fiji they can rejoin the main Sydney-North America airlm es.

Makea Nui Teremoana Ariki, High Chieftainess of the Cook Islands, was entertained at a garden party by the Resident Commissioner and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. G. Nevill, at Rarotonga, in April. About 90 guests were present. The occasion was to say farewell to the Makea and her husband, Mr. Tau Cowan they will represent the Cook Islands at the Coronation. They later left by air from Aitutaki.

Mr. S. Bennett, Islands Inspector for Messrs. A. B. Donald & Co., of Auckland, travelled to Rarotonga from Tahiti in the Co.’s Cook Islands 300-tonner Charlotte Donald late April, when that vessel returned to Rarotonga after refit in Papeete.