Implications

Of Laucala Bay

Closure

From a Suva Correspondent Since it became apparent in 1958 that the Royal New Zealand Air Force maritime

squadron of Sunderland flying

boats, based on Laucala Bay,

Fiji, would be replaced by land

planes, there has been specula tion about the future use of the base installations.

A NUMBER of organisations, official and private, have cast covetous eyes on the base camp, about a quarter of a mile away from the hangars which are at the edge of the water.

Now that it has been officially confirmed that the flying-boats will be withdrawn in 1966 and replaced by land-based Lockhead Orions, speculation is increasing.

The New Zealand Government is expected soon to provide the answer, which will be in line with under takings given at the recent London conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers.

New Zealand has tentative plans to turn the base into a higher education and technical training centre for the benefit of South Pacific peoples.

University College

Such a move could lead to the establishment of, initially, a univer sity college, and then, some time in the fairly distant future, a full-scale university.

The trend of development in that area has been to educational in stitutions.

There is a primary school just below the base camp, and further round, almost on Suva Point itself, are several Catholic education in stitutes, including the Corpus Christi Teachers’ Training College, and the Suva Grammar School.

Across the road from the Gram mar School, South Pacific Churches hope to establish their theological college.

New Zealand would probably foot the bill for an education centre as a Commonwealth obligation, a move which would ensure a con tinuation of the tremendous good will New Zealand enjoys in Fiji,

Meanwhile Fiji, and particularly Suva, is very concerned about the impending departure of the Sunderlands, which have been part and parcel of their life and the economy for a quarter of a century.

It has been estimated that the base is worth about £1 million a year to the Fiji economy.

The Sunderlands are known throughout Fiji and in island groups as far away as the GEIC and the Cooks

for the many mercy missions their crews have cheerfully undertaken, There has been talk of replacing them with amphibious craft, which would have limited scope in carrying out mercy missions, but there is nothing concrete, The men and women of the RNZAF will be missed in Suva, for they have always entered whole heartedly into the social and sporting life.