Famous Ship And

Old Rabaul-Ite

TRADING between Eastern Aus tralian and New Guinea ports are a ship (the Wongala ) and a first mate (Captain C. J. R. Webb, RAN) who both have an interest ing history.

The Wongala was formerly the American Antarctic exploration ship Wyatt Earp. She was built in 1919, and in the thirties she was acquired by the late Lincoln Ells worth, famous explorer, for work in the Antarctic, Thenceforward, she was often in the news—especi ally in 1936, when Ellsworth and a companion crossed the Antarctic polar cap in a plane, and then dis appeared. Two months later an Australian expedition found them holed up under deep snow at the Bay of Whales, a few hours before the Wyatt Earp also arrived. Wyatt Earp became a Naval vessel during World War 11.

Captain Webb was harbourmaster at Rabaul for 15 years, escaped from

the Japs in 1942, and subsequently rendered distinguished service as a ship’s commander under the Navy—especially in convoy and salvage work. tl Mr. H. R. J. Lewis, the newly appointed Crown Counsel, arrived in Suva on January 5. He is 28 and a Barrister at Law (Gray’s Inn). tl Dr. A. C. Smith of the Smith sonian Institute, Washington, who is a world authority on Fiji plants, is now completing his third collect ing visit to the Colony during the past 20 years. On this present 9months’ visit, Dr. Smith has been collecting plant specimens on Ova lau, Taveuni, Gau and in the Namosi hills and has found that there is a close connection between plants found in Indonesia and those obtained here, suggesting a possible land connection in a bygone age.

There are no such similarities of plant relationships between Fiji and Australia and New Zealand.