Hardship for Settlers
p. 137 · Read in the full issue
[?]G Highlands
[?]Ir Services
DCA Decision Means Hardship for Settlers
)EPARTMENT of Civil Aviation in P-NG proposes to close a number of New Guinea High nds’ strips to DCS aircraft—full asons are not quite clear.
On a recent visit of Group-Cap in Wiggins, Assistant General irector of Civil Aviation, Mel urne, several deputations from estern Highlands’ residents met roup-Captain Wiggins at various ntres and complained about the oposed closing of certain strips.
Mount Hagen air-strip is still ised to all aircraft operations, and the present time goods are ferried Norseman aircraft, from either nj or Banz airstrips in the Middle ahgi, necessitating double-hand g of cargo, extra freight rates etc. :t is not anticipated that the gen strip will be opened before xt April, when it is anticipated 3 blue couch grass which has :n sewn after complete recon uctjon of air-strip, will have tted sufficiently. A good deal of our and money was expended an this air-strip to meet Civil iation standards. This seems a
great waste if, when eventually opened, it will take only light air craft.
Owing to the high freight rates into Western Highlands, settlers who are pioneering the coffee in dustry are dependent upon DC3 charters to bring in their supplies at a cheaper rate and to back-load their produce to the Coast. They are most apprehensive about the future, if these air-strips (as yet unnamed) are closed to the bigger aircraft.
Most of the air-strips concerned were used by large numbers of DC3 aircraft during the latter part of the war, carrying loads of up to 7,000 lbs, and all accidents which occurred were owing to an error of judgment on the part of the pilot and not because of the air-strips.
The present allowable pay-load for a DCS aircraft, is up to 5,900 lbs. —Special Correspondent. t When Sir Robert Stanley, who retired last year from the High Commissionership of the West Pacific, arrived in London towards the end of 1955, he was invited to describe the Solomon Islands to a section of the Conservative Com monwealth Council. Six persons at tended. That is typical of the in terest taken in Britain’s Territories in the South Pacific by British public men.