letter-Balanced Trade

with N. Caledonia

T the present time New L Caledonia buys far more from ' Australia than Australia buys >m NC —a sore point for a long riod—but this situation may m become more favourable for w Caledonia.

Noumea correspondent says it Australia has announced that i will triple her order for nickel, >m the present 500 tons per num to 1,500 tons. This, together th an expanding iron-ore trade Australia, might permit the ench Colony to further expand f Australian business. >ne sign of the new situation ty be seen in another Noumea nouncement. A special allocation import licenses to obtain extra ristmas goods from Australia s approved by the Government November. Items included are isky and shrimps, as well as ier “luxury” goods.

Pan American Has Birthday

Pan American Airways

celebrated the 20th anniversary of the inauguration of its North Pacific service on November 22—it was the first regular air connection between the United States and the Far East.

The company pioneered the South Pacific route in December, 1937, when the first survey flight was made with a Sikorsky S-42-B flying boat named Samoa Clipper.

On the second flight, carrying mails, in January, 1938, Samoa Clipper, commanded by the com pany’s senior pilot, Captain Edwin C. Musick, exploded in the air about 40 minutes after take-off

from Pago Pago for Auckland, Captain Musick and his six crew men being lost. This disaster, and other events, halted the continuance of the South Pacific Service until 1941.

Captain Musick’s association with trans-South Pacific commercial aviation was commemorated in Auckland by giving his name to an important radio station near Auckland which maintains contact with all aircraft and shipping. t The “Oiseau des lies” arrived at Rarotonga from the French Phospate Islands on November 23.

She repatriated the last of the Cook Islands labourers —37 men from Mauke Island.