End of SPC Funds
p. 36 · Read in the full issue
The Beginning and End of SPC Funds
AN associate of Sir Gordon Taylor, Australian pioneer aviator, sat in the lounge of the Grand Pacific Hotel, Suva, and sourly regarded the little bands of happy people—delegates from all over the Pacific and observers from all over the world-who were relaxing after a session of the Third South Pacific Conference “Fine ” he said. “The Australian taxpayers who pay 30 per cent, of the cost of it all would be charmed to see the pleasure they are giving to so many worthy people, and the potential good being organised for the South Pacific Islanders.
“But perhaps they would not be so pleased if they know that in order to transport a lot of these travellers, the SPC chartered—in very scarce and expensive dollars— a large American plane, which had to come a long way to take the charter. , “Yet ‘Bill’ Taylor’s big modern seaplane, which regularly makes tourist-party flights among these Islands, was available for charter, and was formally offered to the SPC for this kind of work.
Australia pays 30 per cent, of the SPC costs, USA 121 per cent.
He added, grumpily: “Don’t make sense, somehow.” —RWR.