Pacific Islands Monthly

Vol. XXII, No. 1 (Aug., 1951)
1951-08-01 · uncorrected OCR from NLA scans

PACIFIC ISLAND Monthly AUGUST, 1951 Vol. XXII. No. 1. dsfs by post as a nem

Rugby Under The Palms

This is 20years-old Josefa Levula, the youngest player and probably the fastest runner in the Fiji Fifteen, which has gone to New Zealand to play first-class Rugby against the world's greatest football-players. The Fijians love football, and, year by year, the 25 or more clubs in Fiji are producing better players. This remarkable photo of a powerful winger in full flight was taken by Rob Wright.

/YJEKf BR/TAf// i LAE to Pinschhafen Rabaul.

Torokina.

Vella Lavella.

Yandina.

Honiara.

LAE to Madang.

Wewak.

Awar.

Angoram.

Maprik.

Rabaul.

LAE to Finschhafen.

Rabaul Kavieng Manus. madang to • Wabag. • Baiyer River • Mt. Hagen.

Pt. Moresby

to

Pt. Moresby

to » Abau. \ Samarai.

Esa’Ala.

Losuia.

Rabaul.

Queen Carola Harbour.

Buka.

Inus.

Kieta.

Buin.

Talasea.

Moewe Harbour.

Lindenhafen.

Jacquinot Bay.

LAE to Bulolo.

Wau LAE to Garaina.

Abau.

Samarai.

Esa'Ala.

Losuia.

Woodlark Is.

Debovne Lagoon.

OC£AN LAE to pt. Moresby.

Cairns.

Townsville.

Rockhampton.

Brisbane.

Sydney.

Pt. Moresby

vule Is.

Kerema.

Wana.

Kikori.

Lake Kutubu.

Lake Murray. » Daru.

Pt. Moresby

» Kokoda. > lligatura.

MADANG to • Garoka. » Kainantu. » Aiyura. • Arena. • Dutr.pu. • Ciusap. • Madang.

NORFOLK IS. to • Sydney.

SUVA to • Noumea. • Sydney.

SANTO to • Vila. • Noumea. • Sydney.

OANTAS’ 30 years of experience in tropical 1 is at your service on almost 11,000 miles of h Guinea Papua and Islands air routes 60 points. In addition snecial charters are opesc to any recognised landing area. Fast air cargo service to all air ports listed here . . • and to anyiv« fhp IVTIS EMPIRE airwaa oanta: where in the LANDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 19 3 1

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All types of Trading Bank and Savings Bank business are conducted at the above Branch, and the following services are now available to you:— Cheque Accounts, Interest Bearing Deposits, Overdrafts, Loans for Primary Production, Finance for Industrial Undertakings, Letters of Credit, Travellers’ Cheques, Safe Custody, Savings Bank, etc.

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Index To Advertisers

chun, Gabriel 121 (Vkta-Vite” . . 73 laddin Lamps 76 lois Akun . . 55 luminium Ltd. 32 mplion (A/sia) 79 ngus & Robertson Ltd. ... 28 rdath Tobacco 55 Ispaxadrene” 109 4spro" .... 58 aker, W. Jno. 109 ink of NSW . 82 ;1I & Co. . . 21 Jellhaven” 105 srry’s B. B’y’d. 103 thell Gwyn Co. 47 axland Rae . 33 undell Spence 72 )ats for Sale, l7, 104 ►rthwicks Pty. 113 ►vril Ltd. . . 94 istol-Myers . 91 ■cornfields Ltd. 35 ■unton & Co. 41 inting’s . 51, 90 P. (NG) ... 69 P (NH) ... 73 P (SS) . . 117 P. Trust . . 40 itterfly Supply 77 idbury’s . . 122 ine’s Studios 34 rpenter Co. 92, iv, rpenter’s (Fiji* .... 34 issified Advts. 126 Iman Mustard 93 lonial Meat . 84 Iyer Watson [NG), 16, 50, 75 mmonwealth Bank . . 3, 112 ammond ladio .... 36 awford, Tom 58 Hley, R. J. . 101 ystex” ... 94 ngar, g. & A 2, 88 naghy & Sons 87 nald Ltd., 38, 71 uglass, W. c. 85 nlop Rubber 29 erker, A. J. 30 Donald . . 54 rd Sherington 89 Ch. of Com. 50 rrett, D. & m.

J td 128 rrick Hotel . 47 >bey, W. & a. 35 llespie Bros. . 54 lespie, R., „ 1. 39, 98 lespie, R.

NGj . . 86, 120 rdon’s Gin . 87 ugh & Co. . 108 P -H. .... 4 egory Ltd. . . 93 “ve & Sons • ... 26, 83 & R. Intitute ... 24 ivorsen Sons 42 inz & Co. Ltd. 41 J*o p ty. 15, 71 Hand Rusk . 23 flicks Ltd. . 56 geia Co. . . 42 *nd Industries 81 Electric Co. 107 Service Bur. 121 nnedy, Capt. 105 rr Bros. . 77 fry. M. Pty. 31 •ynos, Inc. . 21 Psen & Co. . 43 Kraft Cheese Co 119 Leondes, A. . . 119 Lillis & Co. . . 44 Macintyre, T. . 124 Mac Robertsons 89 Mcllraths Ltd. . 25 •Mendaco” . . 121 Merrillees, J. C. 53 Millers Ltd. . . 16 Mobile Equip. 110 Morris Hedstrom 14 Morris Hedstrom (Aust.) ... 78 Mungo Scott Ltd. 19 N.I.V.L. ... 27 N. & R. Ltd. . 45 “Nixoderm” . . 90 Nordman, O. G. 101 O’Brien, Geo. . 102 P.A.A is Pabco Products 48 Parer Pty. Ltd. 23 “Pinkettes” . . 127 P.I. Society . . 45 P.I. Trading . 95 P.I. Year Book 20 Proud’s (O’seas) 123 Proud’s Ltd. . . 52 Qantas Airways li.

Qld. Insurance , 19 Quirk’s Light Co 106 Ransomes Mowers . 117 Reakitt’s Blue 83 Reed, W. E. 22, 102 Riverstone Meat 114 Robinson, G. H. 57 Rohu, Sil . . . 49 Savitz, B. ... 98 Scott, J., Ltd. 125 Seward Ltd. . . 26 Shell Co. . .115 Sherwin- Williams . . 59 Simmons, C. & G. . .97 Simpson Bros. . 51 Sims, A. G. . 100 Smith Copeland 118 Spartan Paints 24 Spruso Co. . .28 S.T.C. Ltd. . . 49 Stewart, Lloyd 79 Sthn. Pac. Ins. 74 Sullivan Ltd. . 11l Swift & Horndale .... 70 S. Co. Ltd. 99 Tallerman & Co. 38 T. 60 Taylor, A. & Co. 57 Thomycroft Ltd 104 Tillejy Lamps 124 Tillock & Co. 120 Tongan Photos . 86 Tooth & Co. . . 46 T.O.A iii.

“Tru-Wite” . . 99 Tyneside Co.

Ltd 74 Undersee Novelties 15 United Traders 46 Vacuum Oil, 39, 96 Ventura Trading .. . 70, 128 Vincent’s A.P.C. ... 116 Walsh, A. D. . 126 West Pty. Ltd. 105 White, K. E. . 31 Williams’ Pills 113 Wills Ltd. ... 80 Wright & Co. 103 Wunderlich Ltd. 127 Yorkshire Ins.

Co 29 3 acific islands monthly-august, 1951

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Ltd to : h or by Z" m Pany o7 e hoL^e

In This Issue

Editorials: 49 Nations to Deal With Japan—And Our Security :: Planters, Robbed of £3O per Ton, Are Given 55/- :; Rabaul Declines to Go to Kokopo 5, 6 Rise in New Guinea Freight 7 Death of Sir Albert Eliis .... 7 Filaria Conference in Papeete 7 The Woeful Solomons 8 Tongas Airfield May Grow Peanuts 8 Jap Thieves in NG Waters — Australians Seize Ship in Hermits 9 Search for Bullion Goes on Off Lae 10 Minister of State Visits Fiji, Tonga and BSIP 10 Rabaul Meets the New Minister 11 Lautoka Storm Over a Wharf 11 The Editors' Mailbag 12 Mr. Tailby May Retire from Cook Is 13 Where “Smithy” Landed in Suva 15 Suva Gets Water After Six Years’ Fight 16 Tributes to the Late James Norman Hall 17 Norfolk Island Gets a Market in New Zealand 20 Nadi Makambo Closed .. .. 23 Planting Possibilities in P-NG —British Expert Looks Them Over 24 No Soldier Settlement in P-NG —RSSAILA Plan Gets Bogged Down 25 TEAL’s New Service to Tahiti 25 The Month in Papua-New Guinea 26 NG Legislative Council —Strong Feeling in Rabaul 29 Another £3 for P-NG Planters —But Stabilisation Fund Continues 33 Rabaul Citizens Condemn Rapopo Move —Alternative Plans Put to Government 34 In Defence of the Small Ships 43 News Notes from Buka Passage 47 Legislative Council for Papua- New Guinea 49 Tahiti’s Chinese French Awareness of Difficult Problem 53 Jet Planes for CPA 53 Commonwealth Bank Opens in Honiara 53 Rabaul Roundabout 55 Three Killed in Samoan Bus Smash 57 Football Fever—Rugby in Fiji 61 Territories Talk-Talk 63 Moturiki Tries Community Development 64 Tropicalities 66 Accommodation in NG Highlands 73 Wandering Bill Murnan and His Seven Seas II .... 77 Record Profit by Morris Hedstrom Ltd 78 You Drink Only on the Points System, in W. Samoa ..

Italians for Work in Hebrides Japs Cash-in on Rebuilding New Guinea That Anti-Polynesian Law ..

Fate of Territories’ Hospital Plan Plane and Shipping Schedules Ministerial Visitors to the Islands The Myth of NG’s Sulphur Deposits News Notes From Lae Suva’s Electricity Rates Up Again Ken Douglas Says Goodbye to New Guinea Madang’s New Chamber of Commerce Wants Road to Highlands Commercial, Markets, etc. ..

OBITUARY: Sir Albert Ellis, 71 O. C. Wittus. 8; Bishop Apjc hans, Father Bachus,- F/O J.. 1 Spiers, Miss H. J. Connor, M F. Tindale, K. C. Macdonald) W. Palmer, 10; Mrs. May Mulll 21; James Whitford, 41; I James Fisher. 57; Miss 0..< Bayly, 79; R. H. C. Bentley,, Polito Atoa, 97; Mrs. A. M. Suing, 98; J. Dodd, 111; A. Bill, A. Cinnamond, 123; L. A. Drn 124.

INDUSTRIES; Copra, 6, 112; GI 108, 115; Phosphate, 45; Cod 57; Trochus, 72; Oil, 120.

ORGANISATIONS: NG Worm Club, 31; P.I. Society, 109.

Pacific Islands Monthly The Newspaper-Magazine of the South Seas Distributed in AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND and the following PACIFIC ISLANDS: Australian Territories: Papua. Norfolk Is.

Cocos Is.

Aust. Trustee Territory: New Guinea. Nauru.

British Protectorates: Solomon Is. Tonga.

British Crown Colonies: Fiji. Gilbert & Ellice.

French Territories: New Caledonia. French Oceania.

Dutch Territory: Western New Guinea.

New Zealand Territories: Cook Islands. Niue.

N.Z. Trustee Territory: Western Samoa.

United States Territories: Eastern Samoa. Hawaii.

U.S. Trustee Territory: Micronesia (Caroline, Marshall and Mariana).

Anglo-French Condominium: New Hebrides.

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AGENTS: See full list of Agents, arranged by Territories, on another page. 1. XXII. No. 1.

AUGUST, 1951 ( 1/9 Per Copy.

Price ] Prepaid, p.a.: 18 - Aust.

C in South Pacific. 49 Nations To Deal With Japan— And Our Security HE United States has asked 49 nations to send representatives to a conference in San mcisco in September, to complete ['reaty of Peace with. Japan. Aldy, it has the earmarks of a aing dogfight. n a dogfight, no one takes sides; s just bores in and bites whoror whatever is nearest. In the ice Treaty Conference, each of parties is going to be concerned stly with its own selfish interests, I careless of the over-all picture, ’he Philippines, for instance, says won’t play unless it gets war nage compensation from Japan— spective of the fact that if lippines gets it, so also must io-China, Burma, East Indies, lay a, Borneo, New Guinea, )ua, Solomons and Gilbert and ce.

Britain wants some limitation on anese exports, which otherwise damage Britain’s trade with the Jific countries. Australia fears t Japanese rearmament will m the renewal of the Japanese eat to her security. And so on. ■ussia and her satellites, who are ang the 49 invited nations, will course try to sabotage the Congee. They will resist a Peace aty made on American specifions. merica’s main concern is the reiblishment of a free and strong an, capable of defending her !dom against an aggressor, and ermined to resist the eastward thrust of Muscovite Communism.

America wants her front line of defence to exist from Japan, through Philippines and New Guinea to Australia. As America now is the chief protector of the security and freedom of all the small nations of the Pacific, we are bound to ally ourselves completely with America, and ignore other interests.

Even before the Red influence spread across China, we here in the South Pacific knew that we had no future unless some Great Power gave us protection against the hundreds of millions of hungry and under-privileged people of Asia.

Then, we had the protection of Britain, France, and the United States. Now, while the Asiatic menace, under Muscovite direction, has increased tenfold, war and Socialism have deprived us of any real guarantee of help from Western Europe. As Britain’s influence wanes, the Asiatic nations of Southern Asia, and the “Wog” nations of the Middle East, tend more and more to range themselves against Western Europe; and, more and more, we find ourselves, here in the Pacific, facing a very hostile world, except for the friendly, English-speaking people of North America.

BRITAIN’S influence may be restored. It is difficult to believe that a Power of such mangificent achievements and inspiring traditions, with the qualities demonstrated between 1939 and 1945, can be permanently reduced to feebleness and insignificance by six years of rule by Socialists, Bloomsbury Planners and Fellow-Travellers.

It is very hard for people of British blood, in the Dominions, to watch the Attlees and Bevans destroying the Empire, and to see the old Union Jack spat upon by Persians and Egyptians and the Mongolian hybrids of South-east Asia. Please God, before this generation passes, we may see a revival of the British spirit, a restoration of the British Empire, and a firm movement by free British citizens to confine the Planners to spheres where their socalled humanitarianism will not endanger our security in a merciless and ruthless world.

The Bloomsbury Planners have been instrumental in creating the new nations of Burma, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, and encouraging the nationalist aspirations of several more. In doing this, they have contributed nothing to the world’s economic strength, international security and hope of permanent peace. But they have partially destroyed Britain, in whose freedom and strength lay humanity’s surest guarantee of freedom and progress.

Happily for us, while Britain remains hamstrung by the queer products of the socialistic school of 1930-51, her responsibility for humanity’s freedom has been accepted by the United States; and, in this rather terrifying period of social re-settlement, we look to the

Stars and Stripes with the confidence that formerly we gave to tne union Jack.

Ir> .

GNORING the screeching chorus from the Asiatic countries, the United States is going steadily ahead with her plans for the Japanese Peace Treaty and, in seekmg co-operation in completing that document, she is cmicerned mostly with the small British nations of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The Americans appreciate the South Pacific’s fears about a rearmed Japan—they suffered equally with us in meeting this cruel and treacherous foe in the jungles and (seas of the tropical islands—but they say, with complete realism, that it is better to take a chance on the re-establishment of Japan as a democratic barrier against Muscovite Communism, than to hold Japan indefinitely until the Russian can get his jackboot on her neck.

To help Australia and New Zealand to accept a Peace Treaty that they naturally dislike and distrust, America offers both a Security Pact: if the security of the little countries of the South Pacific is in danger, the Americans will immediately come to their help. Having that guarantee, we shall, of course, support America in framing the Japanese Peace Treaty; and, under American direction, the Treaty will be completed, despite the arguments and the shoutings of the 49 nations.

The United Nations is more or less a joke. Without the United States, it would collapse immediately, like a house of cards. Are we not now coming steadily, step by step, to the position which we should have occupied in 1945-46, when an armed and victorious Anglo - American Union could have taken complete control of the world’s affairs, and policed the world, until poor battered humanity had had a chance to establish permanent peace, based on individual freedom?

Planters, Robbed of £3O per Ton, are Given 55/- ! rpHE Australian decision to reduce X the Stabilisation Fund deduction by 60/- per ton, and give the Papua-New Guinea planters another 55/- per ton (retaining the other 5/- for costs, or something) is nothing to cheer about.

The concession is very long overdue. The Stabilisation Fund became unnecessary from the moment that the MOF 9-years contract was entered into. But Canberra went stubbornly on with the Fund. The Fund now is conservatively estimated at some £1,500,000; and not one of the men who have been compelled to subscribe to it is likely to get any real benefit from it.

The Fund probably is earning over £40,000 per annum in interest. The planters should never cease to urge that this sum, at least, shall be spent each year for the direct benefit of the planting industry.

In respect of the two more important demands of the planters— that the Australian copra-crushers foe made to pay world parity for P- NG copra, and that the MOP contract price be revised in the light of the British Socialists’ trick of devaluing Sterling after the contract was made —there is nothing at all reassuring in the Minister’s statement.

It is an iniquitous thing that the Australian crushers should be allowed to buy P-NG copra at little more than world parity. If the crushers are not allowed to export, then they probably get little benefit themselves; but the Australian consumers do get substantial benefit.

And why should they, seeing that New Guinea consumers are forced by Australia to pay world-market and not Australian rates for all essential goods imported from Australia?

For at least a year, the P-NG producers have been receiving, from Britain, as the result of a trick, a little more than half world parity.

They have been getting about £5O Australian per ton when, if they had been paid in the currency agreed upon when the contract was made, they would have been getting at least £BO. In the circumstances, the concession to them of another miserable 55/- per ton is not an impressive gesture.

Some of Canberra’s more ancient bureaucrats seem to think that the P-NG planters are making huge profits on a copra rate of over £5O per ton. No doubt, grandfather did very nicely on anything over £l2 per ton for copra. But everything has changed since then. Most costs have more than quadrupled—in fact, there is no real basis for comparison. An analysis probably would show that it is impossible now to produce copra profitably at rates under £35 per ton.

In view of what may be discerned on the economic horizon. P-NG planters (and Fiji, BSI and Samoa planters) are entitled to at least the price they were promised in 1949 which is 30 per cent, more than the price now quoted in terms of devalued Sterling.

Rabaul Declines to go to Rapopo THE effect of the Australian Govemment’s economy drive (as a means of curbing inflation) in relation to Papua-New Guinea development is not yet clear, although it has been already suggested that the Territories’ hospital plan may become an early casualty, Part of the Menzies’ anti-inflation plan is to cut down State and Cornmonwealth public works. Each State has protested vigorously thas all its public projects are vitall;! necessary. This makes it prett;J certain that some developmemtae work in P-NG will be cut—if fo;c no other reason, then because thu people of P-NG are voteless anc what the Commonwealth says, goes^ One of the Commonwealth’s moss grandiose money-spending plans iki relation to New Guinea —and, as far as the residents of Rabaul arn concerned, the most useless—is th«r decision to abandon Rabaul anc build a new town and a new pori about 20 miles to the southward: near Kokopo.

The feelings of Rabaul citizens — and their more practical alternative, —are set out in the report of th*r Rabaul Advisory Council meeting, elsewhere in this issue.

The decision to “move Rabaull. was first made after the 1937 erupq tion and, at that stage, it probably was a feasible plan. The desirethen, was to move the capital oo New Guinea, with its central adb ministration, to a volcano-free areas it was not intended to abandoic the port of Rabaul as an outleo for the produce of the New Britair area.

Rabaul has the best harbour iri the South Pacific. It is the sol*l< reason for the existence of Rabauli The plan of Rabaul’s Advisor;*!

Council to retain this magnificenn natural asset, while removing thui commercial and residential area oo the town from the feet of the volI( canoes to Nonga, a few miles norths ward, and to build good roads t(J give easy access to the harbour, ii sane, sensible and suited to these: times when the building of a dog§ kennel or a fish pond, much less i complete town and a new harboun is beset with every imaginable diffifi culty. Sooner or later the Rabaur. volcanoes will erupt again. But all. available data indicate that Rabam. townsfolk will have ample waminjn and could get away from danger. .

Ten million pounds of Australian, taxpayers’ money won’t make Kokoo: po into a port. God and the voile canoes produced Rabaul harbour for nothing; it would be plans commonsense—a commodity we nn longer expect from Governmenttr and their expert advisers —to g§ on using it instead of building poor substitute at enormous cossc with money and materials thasi could be more usefully employeselsewhere.

It is, perhaps, as well that thri; average Australian taxpayer has: been reduced to the order of dumtti driven cattle. He might otherwise ask why his tax money is to hi used for such projects as the buildbi ing of Rapopo and an adjacems port, which the residents of thlj area do not want and for whic.oi there appear no sound reasons.

The sudden decision to get ouc of Rabaul, announced in panicktfc fashion in April, was brought abourc to a large extent by the erupqr 6 AUGUST, 1951 PACIFIC ISLANDS MONTHS

ion of Mt. Lamington in January, md the death of almost 4,000 >eople. It is by no means clear, lowever, that any move to Rapopo rould mean safety. Rapopo is, acurding to some vulcanologists, learer the line of volcanic fault han is Rabaul.

New Guinea records suggest that t is the apparently-quiescent vol- ;ano that is the greatest menace.

At all events, with the Australian Government toying with anti-inflaion measures, plus the extreme dificulty of getting building materials, nachines or labour, the building of , town at Rapopo, or a port, appears i physical impossibility.

Governments who put their faith n experts can rarely be persuaded o see things through the eyes of he practical man on the spot. It s unlikely, therefore, that the suggestions of the Advisory Council vill receive much attention. The >lan to abandon Rabaul and build it Rapopo will be retained —but low far will it go?

Meanwhile, Rabaul will continue is a town of rags and tatters, built )f abandoned war junk—fated to be jermanently “temporary.”

Mr. Norman Nelson, head of Nelson and Robertson, Ltd., Sydney, vho left, with Mrs. Nelson, on a eisurely world tour early this year, expects to return to Sydney, via Sweden, about October. Owing to ;he illness of her mother, Mrs.

Nelson cut short her tour, and resumed hurriedly to Sydney, several veeks ago.

Commodore R, Dowling, Second Australian Naval Board Member, ivith a party of high ranking naval officers, returned from an inspection tour of the Manus Naval Base at the end of July. He complained that work on the base was being held up through lack of civilian tradesmen and that the Department )f Works and Housing gave a higher priority to the supply of materials to Port Moresby and Rabaul than it did to Manus.

Rise in New Guinea Freight Rates A S a result of spiralling costs, Messrs. Burns Philp & Co.

Ltd., in July, raised all their reight rates to the oorts of Papuatfew Guinea, New Hebrides and Solomons, by an additional surharge of 5 per cent., taking effect rom August 1.

The company expressed regret hat this was necessary, but it lointed out that it was helpless in he matter—the cost in Australia if practically every commodity and ervice had risen steeply, and was till rising.

Sir Albert Ellis

Death of Famous Phosphate Finder, Aged 81 THE death occurred in Auckland on July 11 of Sir Albert Fuller Ellis, famous as the discoverer of the enormously rich phosphate deposits on Nauru and Ocean Islands.

Sir Albert was born in Queensland 81 years ago, and was educated in New Zealand. He was 31 years old when, in the employ of the Pacific Islands Co., Ltd., of London, he became interested in the curious rock formations of Ocean Island and Nauru, had an analysis made, and discovered that both islands were simply vast masses of rich fertiliser.

He entered the service of the Phosphate Companies which developed the discovery; and in 1920, when the British Phosphate Commission was reorganised following World War I, he became New Zealand Commissioner on the Board, and he held that position until his death.

Sir Albert was a notable writer, and some of his books are wellknown especially the one which tells the story of the discovery and exploitation of the phosphate deposits.

He was twice married, and is survived by his second wife. He had one daughter, Mrs. Milne, now a resident of Wellington (NZ).

Filaria Conference

Special Plane for Members Arrangements were made in August which will allow the Conference on Filariasis, arranged by the South Pacific Commission, to be held in Papeete, Tahiti, between August 20 and September 2.

As reported last month, there was doubt about the exact date of the Conference, owing to difficulties in arranging transport. However, the South Pacific Commission hired a plane from Pan American Airways, and it will leave Nadi (Fiji) on August 19 to carry the delegates and officials from that point direct to the airfield on Bora Bora (French Oceania), whence they will be transported the short distance to Tahiti.

The party expects to arrive in Tahiti on August 19, and the plane will return to Nadi on August 20.

It will go back to Bora Bora on September 2, and return to Nadi on the 3rd.

The Governor of French Oceania will preside at the Conference.

While playing Rugby in Rabaul during July, Sub-inspector Jack Fisher had one leg broken in two places.

Diamond Jubilee of Anglican Mission ON August 11, 1891—60 years ago —Rev. Albert Maclaren and Rev. Copland King, landed at Bartle Bay, Dogura, North-east Papua, and established the New Guinea Mission of the Church of England.

The Mission has had more than half a century of growth and highly successful work; and today it has a Bishop (Right Rev. P. N. Strong) in charge of the organisation there, and the beautiful cathedral of St.

Peter and St. Paul was recently built by Papuans. Much was destroyed in the war, and valuable European and native personnel were lost; but the organisation has all been completely re-established, and the work of education and health goes on.

Small Plane Lost In

New Guinea

PT. MORESBY, Aug. 9.

AN Auster plane, operated by the Lutheran Mission at Madang. disappeared in the notorious Goroka Gap when flying over the coastal mountain range, from Goroka to Madang, on Monday.

After two days’ search by air and ground parties natives have reported that they have located the wreckage in the densely-wooded mountains, and a ground party is now trying to reach it. The pilot, Edward Hartwig, is dead.

Against the Leg.

Co. Constitution PT. MORESBY, Aug. 6.

PUBLIC bodies throughout Papua - New Guinea are up in arms against the proposed constitution of the new Legislative Council.

The Papua Planters’ Association, on August 3, at its annual general meeting, resolved that “the provision for representation on the proposed Legislative Council is entirely unsatisfactory and does not permit of interests outside of Government having proper representation.”

The meeting asked the incoming Committee to give particular attention to the need for extending the Native Labour Contract from 18 months to 24 months, and the need for improved coastal shipping services. 7 PACIFIC ISLANDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1951 (Continued from Previous Page)

Woeful Solomons

Activity Indicates Interesting Events in Honiara From a Special Correspondent ALTHOUGH an air of excitement filled the Solomon Islands headquarters town of Honiara in early August, and there seemed to be important things afoot, officialdom was firmly Hush-Hush, and outsiders could merely guess at coming events.

It may be reported, however, that two developments are pending:— • Preparations are actively in hand for the transfer from Suva of the headquarters of the High Commission for the Western Pacific (which has jurisdiction over British Solomon Islands, British section of New Hebrides, and Gilbert and Ellice Colony). • The British Minister for Colonial Affairs, Mr. John Dugdale, who was in and around Fiji from August 1 to mid-August, and who was to be in Sydney from August 15 to 18, was due to arrive in Honiara by Qantas Airways from Rabaul about August 20, and was expected to remain there for two weeks (until the next fortnightly plane).

It is believed that the Minister will make some public statement about the new Western Pacific Commission set-up, and the future administration of the Solomons.

VIEWED as a British Colony, the Solomon Islands are a woeful spectacle. With the recent departure of Mr. Corry, there are only a handful of independent European planters remaining in the group. European private enterprise has been driven out by war and Socialism. Retail trading, apart from the Government-owned Trade Scheme, is in the hands of Chinese.

Mr. Eric Lawson has resigned from the Trade Scheme management, to re-enter private enterprise.

The Administration, under the direction of the British Socialists, apparently cares nothing about development. It seems to be concerned mainly with native welfare, and with the almost impossible task of establishing a town and port at Honiara, where a port should never be.

To-day, in all the Solomons, there is only one wharf at which an overseas ship can berth—and that is in the privately-owned port of Yandina, in the Russell group, headquarters of Levers. Tulagi—an excellent port—has been abandoned.

The wharf at Honiara has collapsed.

Nothing further has been heard about the proposal that Australia should take over British administration in the Solomons and New Hebrides, which was seriously discussed at high levels last year. The few Britishers representing private enterprise in the Solomons definitely Hcfwp 1 “to the kind is contemplated.

The equally small remnant of British interests left in New Hebrides, on the other hand hopes l et ' up C ?P“ tmue. The British say that the pu f? ue % Viise and comfortable policy of a ? d are weU content with it. In their view, Australian administration would mean interference and irritation.

Death Of J. O. C. Wittu

M R WITTUS °w a AF k °r ri ISTIAU ITI WITTUS was killed in T , street accident in Sydney, oo dmy * He was vice-consul for Denmanj in Sydney at the time of his deatH: but for many vears he was witn the Colonial Sugar Refining Comr nanv and had scent ii vpars ir toe comply Mr. Wittus was 81 at the time of his death.

Tonga’S Airfield May Now Grow Peanuts

NUKUALOFA, July 12.

THE call at Tonga was cut out of the schedules of New Zealand National Airways early in July, and the Islands kingdom is now without any air-service whatever.

We depend for mails upon the steamer services.

It appears that the airfield at Fuamotu, near Nukualofa, was in charge of the NZ Government’s Ministry of Works, and the latter decided that Tonga should contribute £lO,OOO per annum towards its upkeep. Tonga replied that it could not afford any such expenditure—particularly in view of the huge building programme which it had undertaken.

The Tongan people are not greatly concerned. They say the air service was only run for the benefit of the European merchants and Government officials. The seats available in Nukualofa for passengers rarely exceeded three or four, and sometimes there were none.

There is some talk that Nukualofa may become a port of call for the!

Tasman Empire Airways new service from Auckland to Tahiti with flying-boats. This may be feasibld as such craft could use our lagooo and no airfield maintenance needed.

It is rumoured that Prince TujT —who made the airfield availafch from his own land, free of chargee' may now use the airfield for grovo ing his peanuts. The Prince hrl gone ahead rapidly with his pla:sJ for introducing this secondary cm; to Tonga, and his fields adjoiniiir the airfield already carry heajsj crops of the vegetable, as showo in above photo.

Prince Tugi Returns Prince Tugi, Premier of Tonne and heir to the Tongan throno reached Sydney by air from Loou don, on August 14, and left n©n day by air for Nukualofa. He to 4 the PIM that he had had a vov pleasant and helpful visit abrosoand he had been especially intofi ested in agricultural methods a:s machines which he had examinai. in America, 8 AUGUST, 1951 PACIFIC ISLANDS MO NTH II

Jap. Thieves In N. Guinea Waters

Australians Seize Little Ship in Hermits }N August 4 or 5, an Australian naval craft went to the Hermit Islands (north of New Guinea nd west of Manus) and there rrested what has been described as Japanese sampan, 60 feet long nd carrying 44 persons, on a charge f stealing trochus shell and copra rom Islands in Australian territory.

The vessel was taken to Lorengau Manus) for interrogation.

The Jap Captain disappeared the ight before arrival, and was reorted drowned. Mr. Tom Aitchison District Commissioner) alerted the atives, and the Jap was found shore, in hiding, and was returned ) the ship.

The sampan was loaded with lell, and “stank to high heaven.” he had an American authority to sh for trochus, as far south as the 3uator, but she was arrested three egrees south of the equator.

This followed a report that some me in July—apparently about 10th r 12th a vessel manned by apanese called at one of the Ninigo ;lands (westward of the Hermits) hich is occupied by an Australian lanter, Mr. Gus Kuster. The apanese, after accepting Mr. luster’s hospitality, raided his ;ores, siezed copra and trochus aell which he had on hand, and filed away. His radio was out of ction, so he was not able to report ae incident for some two or three eeks.

Thereupon the Australian authrities directed, from Manus, an nmediate air and sea search of the hole area, with the result that icy picked up the sampan referred ) in the Hermit group, about halfray between Mr. Kuster’s island nd Manus.

Some of the Australian newsapers “played up” the theft of Mr. luster’s shell, and the arrest of the sampan” in such a way as to iggest that Australia’s tropical ;rritories are again being invaded y Japan, and that a dangerous and larming situation exists.

Some insisted that the sampan ime from a “mother ship.”

The Australian Government romptly announced that the Aus- •alian establishment on Manus is ) be strengthened: and a bomber as sent north, in August, to be rationed there.

The fact of the matter is that rese tropical reefs apparently are 3 be subjected to sporadic thefts y wandering little ships, manned by apanese or Indonesians, or both, i the same way as before the 'acific war. It is difficult to make tiese Asiatics understand that idely scattered, isolated and inignificant little archipelagoes, like hose lying north-west of New ruinea, are Australian territory and lust be left alone.

There is this difference, however.

Before the war, many of these trochus-poaching Japanese were attached to the Japanese Intelligence organisation and were compiling data for the Japanese Navy.

To-day, probably, they are only wandering and irresponsible poachers.

The irony of it is that between 1930 and 1940, when the Pacific Islands Monthly repeatedly reported the presence of Japanese poachers among these tropical reefs, and insisted on their significance, no one in Australia would take any notice.

To-day, when the incidents have no significance other than theft, the Australian newspapers are excitedly discovering all sorts of dangerous and sinister things.

Submarine At Emirau?

THERE is no doubt, however, that there is need for close supervision over the activities of strange craft in Australian tropical waters. The Japanese are not dangerous now; but there very definitely is a threat from submarines based on Russian and Chinese north-west Pacific ports.

If World War 111 comes, the immediate threat to us in the Pacific will come from the fleet of oceang6ing submarines which Russia has based on Vladivostock and similar ports, with the object of attacking our commerce in the Pacific.

For example, it is known that in the early part of this year a submarine appeared off the island of Emirau (north-west of New Ireland) and the party which landed on the island, and remained there for some time, comprised Asiatics and Europeans—and the latter are presumed to have been Russians. The visit was observed and reported by a European.

During the 1942-44 operations, the Americans constructed two big airstrips on Emirau, with runways 7,000 feet by 150 feet, and situated about 3,000 feet apart. They were well made of coral, and are still in good shape. Our Manus base is not very far away from Emirau.

There are other good airstrips on other islands in New Guinea waters which are now rarely visited. At Nissan (Green Islands), which is only 40 miles north of Buka and 100 east of Rabaul, there are two airstrips—one 7,300 feet bv 150 feet, and the other 5,000 feet by 150 feet.

They are well made of coral, but have not been used since the war.

These examples could be multiplied. Those islands airstrips could become very interesting if, in the event of World War 111, it was possible for Russian submarines or raiding naval forces to bring into the South Pacific aircraft which could make use of them.

Sydney-Moresby TOA Plan Twice-Weekly Service ANOTHER Solent flying-boat for Trans Oceanic Airways arrived in Sydney from Britain on July 15; and it was almost immediately put into the Sydney-Moresby service.

The Solent which was damaged in the Brisbane River several weeks ago has been repaired and, using both flying-boats, TOA, probably on September 5, will commence a Wednesday service to Moresby.

This will mean that, on Sunday and Wednesday evenings, the Solents will fly to Moresby, via Brisbane, and will return the same way on Mondays and Thursdays.

TOA plans to extend its present Sydney-Hobart service soon to four days each week; and, later on, with the arrival of a third Solent, the Sydney-Hobart service will be daily.

TOA’s Hythe flying-boat is used on the Sydney-Lord Howe Is. service. The lagoon, there, is just a little too shallow to make the use of the bigger Solents practicable.

It was announced early in August that TOA were making arrangements to extend their service from Port Moresby to Rabaul, per medium of Mandated Airlines aircraft. In the past, Mandated Airlines have not had a regular connection to Rabaul. That line, however, has introduced two English De Haviland Dove aircraft, and it is proposed to use these to connect with TOA Solent at Moresby and thence fly on a regular schedule to Rabaul.

An Auster plane owned by the Catholic Mission at Wewak, New Guinea, crash-landed on the Maprik aerodrome late in June when the pilot overshot the strip. Father Kelly, who was flying the plane, escaped with minor injuries, but the machine was badly damaged.

Two enterprising young men, using this plane (which is called Kiverlea Market Gardens) are supplying Madang, New Guinea, with excellent vegetables grown in the Central Highlands. —Photo by Don Reed. 9 PACIFIC ISLANDS MONTHLY— AUGUST, 1951

Divers’ Search For Bullion Off Lae Aftermath of Drover Crash THERE are mysterious features about the loss of the Qantas Drover plane in the sea off Lae, New Guinea, in July, when the following people lost their lives — The Bishop of Alexishafen, the Rt. Rev. Stephen Appelhans, 46, whose headquarters were at Madang. He was a native of Kansas, USA.

The Rev. Father William Bachus, 42. born in Brooklyn, New York, priest of the Morobe District.

First Officer John William Spiers, 30, pilot of the Drover.

Miss Helen Jean Connor, 27, of New South Wales, a recent arrival in Lae. She was engaged to marry: James Wilson Palmer, 37, a radio technician with Radio Telecommunications, Lae.

Miss Frances Tindale, 30, of NSW, a friend of Miss Connor.

Kenneth Charles Macdonald. 31, building supervisor at Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd.

The plane was making a routine flight from Bulolo and Wau to Lae.

The weather was not very good and, as he approached Lae, the pilot was asked to lay off for a little while. He swung off over Huon Gulf, southwards, and completely disappeared, without a word.

The control officials at Lae, becoming anxious when, after minutes, they could not locate the Drover, raised the alarm. A search plane soon afterwards located •wreckage on the surface miles south of Lae. Later, the bodies of Bishop Appelhans and Miss Connor were recovered.

In the following days, searching craft located the plane on the seabottom, 10 miles south of Lae, at a depth of 100 feet.

The Drover had been carrying bullion from the Bulolo goldfields— about £35,000-worth.

The Drover was regarded as a sound and trustworthy plane, and she had plenty of fuel. An inquiry Into the accident is proceeding.

The generally-accepted theory is that, when the plane was banking for a turn over the Gulf, in thick weather, she was nearer the water than the pilot supposed, and a wing-tip struck the surface causing crash Although most of New Guinea passenger transportation has been by air for 20 years, and flying conditions in New Guinea are far from ideal, the New Guinea air accident rate is phenomenally low.

Salvage Of Plane

FRST attempts by a diver to salvage the remains of the plane and locate the missing £35,000-worth of gold were abandoned at the end of July. Early in August other divers and equipment were being flown from Australia to try again. This second attempt had been undertaken by the insurance company with which the gold was insured.

The wrecked plane lies not far from the mouth of the Markham where a continuous flow of water pours into the Huon Gulf. This has helped disintegration of the plane.

The first diver found no trace of the five bodies nor of the missing bullion.

The second party of divers reported that they entered the fuselage of the plane on August 9, but found no trace of passengers, or bullion.

It is now presumed that when the plane hit the sea, the bottom was torn out and passengers and cargo were scattered.

Bishop Appelhans And

Fr. Bachus

THE Rt. Rev. Stephen Appelhans, Vicar Apostolic of Eastern New Guinea, was an American, and was consecrated a Bishop at St.

Mary’s Mission House, Techny; Illinois, USA, on November 30, 1948.

Bishop Appelhans was then 43 — young for a Bishop. But at the same ceremony, a fellow American became the youngest Bishop in the world. He was the Rt. Rev. Leo Arkfeld, Vicar Apostolic of Central New Guinea, who was then 36.

These two young bishops took the place of Bishop Francis Wolf, of Alexishafen, and Bishop Joseph Loerks, of Central NG, who had been killed when a Japanese prison ship on which they were travelling was strafed by US planes in 1944.

In Australia, in 1944, Bishop Appelhans became director of the Mission of the Society of the Divine Word in New Guinea. He went to the Territory about 1945.

His was the task of rebuilding the fine mission station that had existed at Alexishafen before the war but which had been completely destroyed during the Jap occupy, tion.

The Roman Catholic missions a New Guinea have followed ft custom of the country and usi; air transport extensively—many y the younger missionaries (inclwl; ing Bishop Arkfeld) pilot their o’o planes.

A number of them have bed killed in air accidents FatHj.

Kirschbaum, a noted anthropoo* gist, before the war, Father Joo Glover a couple of years ago, as now Bishop Appelhans and FatH: Bachus.

Father William Bachus, American, also of the Society of 1 Divine Word, was attached to t Mission of St. Mary at Lae, as was loved by all in the distrhf Catholics and Protestants alike.

He was one of the first peoples! visit the Mt. Lamington area afis the eruption in January.

Minister of State Visits Fiji, BSIP, Tonga THE Rt. Hon. John Dugdale TU Minister of State for Colonic Affairs, spent two weeks Fin at the beginning of Augusts . Two days were also to be spe9< m Tonga and he proposed to ream the British Solomon Island Protes: torate, via Sydney, on August 2 and leave Honiara again on See tember 3.

An extensive programme ww planned for him in Fiji and ale in the BSIP where it is hoped 3 will obtain a first-hand knowledb of post-war conditions and possifcf: attend the 1951 meeting of the A/ visory Council.

Mr. Dugdale is a career poo tician. He was born in 1905 ww educated at Wellington College am Christ Church, Oxford and thd was attached to the British Legg‘ tion in Peking for 12 months. , Several years in journalism foi lowed and, in 1931, he became as tive in Socialist nolitics when ' became private secretary to M Attlee. He contested three Parliii mentary seats without success dm ing the 30’s but became a Labooc member on the London Coum; Council in 1934.

He remained with Mr. Attlee unm 1939 when he served for two yeas with the British forces.

He was elected a Labour MP ft West Bromwich in 1941 and thenor forth made colonial affairs am agriculture his main parliaments interests.

In March, 1945, he became Ps c liamentary Private Secretary to M Attlee. He was appointed to jun:n ministerial office in 1950.

Bishop Appelhans (right) photographed at Alexishafen with Mr. C. W. Mansell (Islands representative of Mungo Scott Pty. Ltd.) a few days before the Bishop’s death. 10 AUGUST, 1951 PACIFIC ISLANDS MONTHLJ

Rabaul Meets The

New Minister

Prom Our Own Correspondent RABAUL, Aug. 1.

THERE was a colourful scene in the tropical garden of “the house on the too of the hill” — the District Commissioner’s residence at Namanula—late in July, when a representative section of Rabaul’s population gathered at a party to do honour to Territories Minister Hasluck and Postmaster- General and Civil Aviation Minister Anthony— the latter accompanied by his piquant and charming wife.

The first thing we noticed about our new Minister is his youth, the lines of laughter round his eyes, and that air of frank friendliness which belongs to most West Australians.

After talking to him, one decides that here is a man who will not deliver any ill-considered judgments, or facile promises. When this Minister’s decision is given it will be wise and fair.

The morning after his arrival, Mr.

Hasluck left for Kokopo, to inspect the new town site, accompanied by Administrator, Colonel Murray, the District Commissioner, and other officials.

When asked by the Advisory Council that he should suggest to the Australian Government that it reconsider its decision to move the town to Rapopo, Mr. Hasluck said that although it was not his wish to alter the decision of his predecessor, and that plans were already in operation for the move, the idea of a different site was not wholly excluded.

A Variety Of Requests

CHINESE Community representatives gave lengthy reasons to the Minister to support requests for more privileges and added status for the Chinese community-including equal rights with Europeans, equal pay, and the purchase of land on the same basis.

They emphasised their anticommunist feeling.

Members of the Rabaul and Kokopo Sub-Branch of the RSL urged that encouragement be given to plans to foster feelings of loyalty among Asiatics.

The Planters and Traders’ Association requested that the Minister take steps to review the MOF copra contract (which Britain has broken by devaluing her currency); that monies taken from the planters and held by the Government be returned to planters; and that they be allowed to sell their copra on world markets. They also urged that the new Native Labour Ordinance be discontinued, and the old one reinstituted as a basis for working labour.

Mr. Hasluck said that consideration would be given to all these requests. But, in cases, even if granted, there would be great delay in introducing new measures, as this would involve new legislation.

Mr. Anthony, who arrived at Rabaul the day following Mr. Hasluck’s arrival, spent the period of his visit inspecting airstrips, and conferring with DCA officials.

One wonders who organises tours of this nature. The time is obviously too short for the Minister to do anything except listen to the carefully-prepared statements of Public bodies —and take quite a lot of ear-bashing on the side from those with axes to grind.

Lautoka Storm

Arguments About a Wharf SUVA, Aug. 1.

THERE has been a certain amount of liveliness on the Lautoka front, centred more or less on the new wharf project.

Lautoka’s wharf is the private property of the CSR Co. and was used originally for the outward loading of sugar and the inward unloading of supplies for the sugar towns of northern and north-western Viti Levu.

As other population (not connected with sugar) grew, there was a call for port facilities not connected with the CSR Co. But CSR Co., in accordance with its well-known policy (its famous free-for-all railway, for example) has allowed almost anyone to use its Lautoka wharf at small charge, or without charge at all.

Long years ago the Lautoka community asked the Government to provide a public wharf. Like other public works in Fiji, there was endless argument and delay about the project. It was originally planned to spend £15,000 or £20.000 on a wharf. Then wartime conditions intervened.

After the war, £150,000 of the Development Plan money was earmarked for Lautoka’s wharf.

Early last year, the British Government spent £2,000 in sending a consulting engineer to Fiji to plan a wharf for Lautoka. This functionery planned a quay-type wharf, with Customs sheds, at an estimated cost of £335,000. The Government was literally staggered, and insisted on sending the whole plan back to London with a request for a more modest plan and estimate.

Meanwhile, the impatient citizens of Lautoka, apparently not realising the difficulty that had developed, began to criticise (a) the Government, for failure to do anything, and (b) the CSR Co., because they suspected that the Co. was trying to sabotage the public wharf plan.

The argument of the Lautoka citizens is that a new public wharf for the town generally would involve substantial port fees, which the company, like everyone else, would have to pay, but which it now escapes because it owns its own cheaply-built wharf.

Members of the Lautoka Chamber of Commerce (President, Mr. A.

E. Waddingham; Vice-president, Mr. C. A. Adams; secretary, Mr.

A. J. Carfax-Foster) have been active recently in this matter. They are emphatic that there is likely to be a development boom in the wide fertile area of Viti Levu, which stretches from Nadi right around to Tavua; that already half the population of Fiji is found in these districts; that the excellent port of Lautoka, upon which this development should be based, is now gravely handicapped by lack of a suitable public wharf; and that some suspect that the absence of a wharf is due to unfriendliness on the part of Suva (which, they say, fears the growth of Lautoka) and of the CSR Co. (which, they say, for financial reasons does not want a new wharf).

The parties concerned have an effective answer to both these suspicions, and rather resent the criticism.

Consequently, when there appeared in the Fiji Times a somewhat critical statement, apparently sponsored by the Lautoka Chamber, there was swift reaction. Both the District Commissioner and the manager of the CSR Co. made strong representations to the Chamber of Commerce; and there then became evident some differences of opinion between officials of that body. The result was the resignation of the indignant secretary.

Actually, it is merely a teacupful of storm, and it soon will be forgotten. But it will achieve something if it convinces the powers that be that the Lautoka people are very eager to get on with everything that will assist the advancement of their big, rich district.

The Ba (Fiji) open golf championship. on July 22, was won by D. Phillip, with E. Allman (Lautoka) and J. H. Johnson (Lautoka> close up.

A commercial summary from London, published on August 3, said: “Wool is down by 60 per cent.

Copra, a significant bellwether of the important fats and vegetable oils group, has fallen 40 per cent.”

Copra was quoted about £135, Stg., European port, some four months ago. It is now around £BO-£lOO. 11 PACIFIC ISLANDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1951

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Where Smithy’ Landed

'Southern Cross , In Albert Park, Suva ALMOST exactly 23 years ago— on June 5, 1928—the first overseas aircraft to arrive in Fiji, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s Southern Cross, came in low and slow over the lagoon in front of Suva, touched down on the outer edge of Albert Park at 60 m.p.h., and raced for the hillside. The crew (Charles Ulm, co-pilot, Jim Warner and Harry Lyon) held their breath. A crash seemed inevitable.

But the wizard “Smithy” somehow ground-looped the plane at the end of the Park and brought her safely to rest.

They had left Honolulu 3-H hours will be 30 ft. high. On a base with red marble steps, the memorial in bronze will represent a young Fijian in ceremonial dress springing up to provide landing ground on his land for a silver bird, representing the Southern Cross.

Today, only 23 years after “Smithy’s” great flight, nearly 1,000 aircraft, carrying over 20,000 passengers, call at Fiji each year. That is the measure of the amazing growth of commercial aviation in the Pacific.

Second and third class mail may now be sent by air from Australia to French Oceania. The fee is 1/3 for two ounces or part thereof.

This class of mail includes commercial papers, printed matter samples, newspapers and small packets. earlier, carrying 1,300 gallons of petrol, and had made the then extraordinary flight of 3,150 miles through continual tropical storms without accident.

The landing in little Albert Park was a miraculous thing. They nearly “pranged’' the Southern Cross as they landed, however, because “Smithy” did not know that the surface of the Park was about 12 feet below the surface of the surrounding land.

They could not take off from Albert Park with a loaded plane.

So after three days’ rest they flew the plane, empty, to Naselai Beach, Ailed up there with petrol from drums that had been lightered to the beach, and made the third hop to Sydney.

It has been decided to erect in Albert Park a memorial to the fact that Charles Kingsford Smith landed there at the end of the second hop in his great pioneer flight from San Francisco to Sydney. The memorial, designed by Australian artist Mary Edwards,

Capt. O’Brien Takes Food

To Norfolk

/CAPTAIN GEORGE O’BRIEN, who is taking the 66-ft. auxiliary ketch Darnley to Vila, New Hebrides, called in at Norfolk August to deliver muchneeded supplies.

Captain O’Brien who has dehvered numerous small ships to New Hebrides in the last few years, usually sails via Noumea. He has gone considerably out of his way to relieve the shortage of sugar and Norfolk Is nour on iNoriUIK This photograph, taken by Mr. G. S. Chisholm on June 5, 1928, shows the Southern Cross just after it had landed in Albert Park. —Photo kindly loaned by Mr. A. S. Smyth, of Apia. 15 PACIFIC ISLANDS MONTHLY AUGUST, 1951