NEW GUINEA HOLDS FINE RECORD FOR AIR TRANSPORT

Shannon News, 29 January 1929, Page 4

NEW GUINEA HOLDS FINE RECORD FOR AIR TRANSPORT

Opening Up BuloloGoldfields

Something probably unique, in the history of modern times is New Guinea' s share of the development of air communications, (says the special correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald). It is unlikely that the aeroplane has figured in the development of any other country in the world as it has done in New Guinea ,in the opening up of the Bulolo goldfields. A remarkable fact is the freedom of the air service, handicapped as it must have been by the pioneering conditions under which it was instituted, from fatalities, and even from casualties of anything, like serious proportions. Air communication between Lao, on the New Guinea coast, and the Wau, souse CO miles inland, the nearest* acces siblff point to the Bulolo-Edie Creek goldfield, dates from April 1, 1927) when Flight-lieutenant E. A. Mustard made his first flight. He flew, under difficulties, as he was not aware even of the direction in which his destination lay or of what awaited him in the way of landing grounds. He simply took off in the general direction of the' Wau, and cast about for further indications of the nature of the country beneath him. The machine in which he flew was the property of Guinea Gold, a mining company from which Guinea Airways took over all aerial activities on December 1, 1927. The journey to the field by bn&u track though every day brings the completion of a new highway up the Markhani Valley nearer, takes eight days of solid, tiring, travel, and as the natives are* permitted to carry no more than 50 pounds' weight (including their own food for the journey), progress is slow, unsafe, and unsatisfactory. Tne aeroplane does the journey in 40 to 50 rain* utes, and > with the introduction dsf powerful' nine-cylinder British engines and Junkers planes, is capable of carrying any sort of cargo, from chickens and goats to twp-ton lorries and heavy niining machinery. There were recently no fewer than five separate flying organisations operating over the route—Guinea Airways, .Ltd., Airgold, Ltd., 0. Pratt, Mandated Territories Airways (G. Pentland), and Bulolo Goldfiekls Aeroplane Service (R.. Parer), and the results have been sunV eiently encouraging to open up the prospect of the further adaptation of the aeroplane, and possibly the seaplane, to the peculiar needs of the Mandated Territory. In addition to the aerodromes at Lae and the Wau, aero dromes have now been established on the Upper, Watut, at Zenag, and on the.lower Watut, all in the same zone. Further development is contemplated in the immediate future. No Fatalities.

During the entire period in which the air services have been operating hi the territory there has been reported no case of fatal injury, and only one case of injury at all, in connection with air travel. The one case was that of a pilot who, without passengers, attempted a landing without guides or beacons of any kind at the Lae aerodrome, and who crashed into the structure adjacent to the landing ground, in the darkness. Three machines have been lost, two through landing in tho sea and one in a bad landing at the Way, where it is necessary to perform the extraordinary feat of landing on an uphill gradient. ''•■*. »

The Junkers piaues are supported by Moths for lighter work. The Junkers has seating accommodation for tour passengers, and can take at the same'time lOOulb. of cargo. The charge for freight is one shilling a pound, and the fare tor a white man to the goldfield £25, the return journey being possible at £lO. On the return journey natives are carried for £l, and practically all the native labourers return by aeroplane; tho miners finding that it is cheaper to pay the fare of a labourer than to give hiin rations for the long journey by road.

Flying conditions, according to the pilots, are good—as good as anywhere else in the world; in the opinion of one of tne most experienced pilots on the route.

Cargo of all descriptiQns has been transported to the field, including such formidable items-as a 4001 b. cast iron engine bed, for the wireless station at ,BuloJo, but the most valuable article which comes back, of course, is the product of the Edie Creek miners' energy, One parcel which the Junkers recently carried to Lae was worth a matter of £b'ooo. The Guinea Airways record for June, 1928, was probably unique in air transport anywhere in the world. General cargo carried in the month totalled 46 tons 12cwt. lqr. lib. and mail 3 4cwt. 221 b. Passengers carried numbered 157, and the total weight carried was 58 tons llcwt. 3qr. 231 b. The approximate mileage covered was 7440, the machine making 62 flights to tho Wau and back. This represents tho record of a single Junkers, as xhe company had not at this time put its new machine in the field. Nallves Have No Pear. Natives travel without fear, and have ceased marvelling at the ingenuity of the white man in overcoming the perils of the air. The plane is simnly "big feller balus (pigeon) belong white man."

A large staff is maintained at the aerodrome at Lae, where passengers are accommodated at the staff quarters, and maintained at an excellently appointed mess, whilo awaiting transport. The Bulolo goldfields communicate by radio with Salamaua, the seaport, Rabaul, and, of course, Australia; and a telephone service connects the field with the Wau, the air service completing the chain. A shipping service on a small scale connects the airport at Lae with

Salamaua, where the Government st tion and commercial stores and 6th business concerns are situated. .Tl Wau has hospital, hotels and agrici tural station;

Marked agricultural development expected at the Wau in the near I ture. The Director of Agriculture, « recent visit) established the fact th the country was eminently suited the production of coffee and .cinchoi (quinine), situated as it is betwet 4000 and 5000 feet above sea lev( Cinchona seed is now on order fro Tanganyika, and coffee from the Phili pines and Papua, and extensive supplii will be available for experiment planting three or four months henc Already the department has large arei of kaukau (native sweet potato),. i» der plantation at the Wau. This foj; is in extensive demand among the er plovers of labour, who use it in pr ferene'e to rice—imported into the gol Held area only at heavy expense—i the diet, of their employees. It is e'. pected that much land will eventual! be occupied agriculturally at the Wat Already several large areas have bee taken up for tnis purpose, not far fra the aerodrome site.