After Three Years,

The Cooks Are "Off

The Air" Again

After having had a regular commercial air service for exactly three years, Aitutaki and Rarotonga, the two main islands in the Cook Group, went “off the air” again at the end of June when the fortnightly DC-3 ser vice by Polynesian Airlines came to an end.

POLYNESIAN Airline’s service operated from Apia, Western Samoa. It was forced to cease when a regulation forbidding planes to be more than 90 minutes from an air strip at any time came into effect.

As Rarotonga’s airstrip is only big enough to take DC3’s, and as it will probably be at least 18 months before it can be enlarged to take bigger aircraft, it seems, at present, as if that island will be without an air service until the beginning of 1968.

However, the New Zealand Gov ernment has plans to make DC6 air craft available during the interim for flights between Auckland and Aitutaki (which has a big wartime strip), and it is possible that a “ferry” service will eventually be established between Aitutaki and Rarotonga. These two islands are only 140 miles apart.

Landowners' Meeting

New Zealand officials have sub mitted three different plans for the enlargement of Rarotonga’s airstrip to the Cook Islands Government since the beginning of this year. On each occasion, the Premier, Mr.

Albert Henry, has had to call a meeting of the landowners concerned to get their approval.

The latest plan, which reached Mr.

Henry in the first half of June, was agreed to by the landowners at a meeting on June 16.

This plan calls for the removal of less than a dozen buildings, and the destruction of about 1,000 trees to create adequate side clearances.

The buildings include Nikao Church, the pastor’s house, and the Sunday school, all of which will have to be re-sited closer to the sea.

No additional land is required under the new plan, although the strip will be moved 50 feet closer

to the sea than previously envisaged (PIM, May, p. 133) to minimise hardship to people living on the inland side of it.

The foundation work, sealing and lengthening of the existing strip 500 feet towards the lagoon will cost £NZSOO,OOO. This will be borne by the New Zealand Government, with the Cook Islands providing the labour force.

At the meeting of landowners, the High Commissioner, Mr. L. J. Davis, said that the New Zealand Air Department, Island Territories Department, and Department of Civil Aviation, were all agreed that Raro tonga, and not Aitutaki, was the logical site for an improved airstrip, and that this was necessary for the economic progress and good govern ment of the Cook Islands. ☆ ☆ ☆ PORT MORESBY now has some worthwhile eating places with atmosphere, for visitors. PlM’s Port Moresby correspondent reports on these three: ROOM AT THE TOP, a quaint little Continental type place above the Arcadia Theatre, Boroko. It has tables with check cloths, and a feature wall with paintings by local artist Kurt Pfund on display. Bert and Delinda Gassmann (one time manager and manageress of the Papua Hotel) run the restaurant, and he is a fine chef specialising in Continental, Jewish and Chinese cookery. It has been in operation only a few months and is very popular. It has liquor licence and is open evenings only.

BLACK TULIP is the newest. Set in a garden on the Three Mile Hill, the proprietor, Mrs. A, Bellaard, a Frenchwoman, is having a small pool completed and a barbecue area finished and hopes then to get a licence and turn it into a small night club. It is open evenings only. The dining room is semi-open-aired and very attractive, featuring tulips. Dutch, Indonesian, Continental and Chinese dishes are served. At present liquor must be taken in by the visitor.

THE HIBISCUS ROOM is a well established restaurant right in town.

With its attractive Papuan decor, check cloths, semi-open-air tables (under colourful umbrellas) it is popular through the day, from mid morning coffees to late theatre sup pers. The proprietress is Mrs. Jean Folkes.