NEW 2SALAHB PAQIPIO AVIATION
General Report on Activities
and Results.
i'rellmln&r.y events prior- to departure of
.xauciitian.
Although it had long been realised in
New Zealand that ultimately an expedition would
be required to investigate many islands in the
British Pacific with a vie* to determining their
value from an aviation viewpoint, any enthusiasm
towards proceeding with this important worK was
confined to a few officials and nothing of much
importance occurred until the dispatch of an
aerodrome engineer from New Zealand in H.&.S.
"Achilles" was authorized early in 1937. This
officer was required to carry out a comprehensive
inspection of as many islands as possible and
furnish preliminary advance reports of his im-
pressions of their general value for aviation
purposes.       This advance information has since
proved to be in general very accurate and a most
valuable aid to the work now in hand,
8,    On the return of ttiis officer to New
Zealand steps were taken to allocate, tentatively,
certain staff and prepare, in advance, organiza-
tion
Lion and equipment against the time HUB this
MfH would have to be unuurtaken in the hope and
anticipation that His Majesty's Government in the
United kingdom would entrust New Zealand with Uie
work.     Unfortunately when Uie recent decision
to proceed v.itii this wonc was arrived at the
preparations nad not reached the stage where
expenditure had been authorized by New ^ealand
for the purcnase, for example, of such an impor-
tant item of equipment as a survey and depot ship.
However expenditure for "Pacific Island Surveys'1
had been authorized by Parliament in ttm Supple-
mentary Intimates of 1938 under the vote item
"Maintenance of Aerodromes and Services.1
3. 1 hen a decision by the Home Government
was made that portion of these further investiga-
tions were to be proceeded with as axi emergency
measure, the time available did not permit of a
completely manned and equipped expedition being
organized and in consequence the results achieved
are not as complete as would otherwise have been
the case.    However sufficient information has
been obtained in those islands virited to enable
a decision as to their value to be arrived at, as
well as some measure to be gauged of the task to
fit those selected as suitable.
4. Description of Expedition's Itinerary,
itoe expedition *as composed of the following
personnel;-
Lion and equipment against the time HUB this
MfH would have to be unuurtaken in the hope and
anticipation that His Majesty's Government in the
United kingdom would entrust New Zealand with Uie
work.     Unfortunately when Uie recent decision
to proceed v.itii this wonc was arrived at the
preparations nad not reached the stage where
expenditure had been authorized by New ^ealand
for the purcnase, for example, of such an impor-
tant item of equipment as a survey and depot ship.
However expenditure for "Pacific Island Surveys'1
had been authorized by Parliament in ttm Supple-
mentary Intimates of 1938 under the vote item
"Maintenance of Aerodromes and Services.1
3. 1 hen a decision by the Home Government
was made that portion of these further investiga-
tions were to be proceeded with as axi emergency
measure, the time available did not permit of a
completely manned and equipped expedition being
organized and in consequence the results achieved
are not as complete as would otherwise have been
the case.    However sufficient information has
been obtained in those islands virited to enable
a decision as to their value to be arrived at, as
well as some measure to be gauged of the task to
fit those selected as suitable.
4. Description of Expedition's Itinerary,
itoe expedition *as composed of the following
personnel;-
personnel
Squadron-Leader K.A. Gibson, Officer in
Gommand (He* .Asaiunuj.
Mr. j.a. Henderson, Surveyor, second in
Command {Ke» /iealand).
Mr. E.w, Lee. Aeroarome Engineer. Third in
Command (New Zealand).
Mr. R.a. Winfeusn. Imperial Airways, on loan
to Air fcinistry, United Kingdom, Eono-
sounding I'jcperL.
Mr. R.B. Roberta, Engineering Assistant (Fiji).
Mr. G. Harlen, surveyor (Fiji).
Mr.        Patten, Draughtsman (New Zealand).
Mr. T.*. Hoult, Otaeinman and Instrument Man
(HQ* Zealand).
Mr» B#0. Carr, Launch Coxswain and I urvey
assistant (New Zealand).
Lieutenant J.A. Ritofaie, 8.N.R. (tottf»)|
Commissariat and Stores (Hen Zealand).
vCtirw Petty Officer M.H. Hay, Telegrapbist
(lew /eal^nd Division of Kuyal Navy).
One rijian ^nainu^wieadman ana lam Pljlan
general labourers.
5.    Tne New Zealand Party embaritea at j
Auckland in fcHE. "beander" on November 5tn, 1936,
an. waff Joined In Suva on 17Ui November by tne
leader of the expedition, a Naval wireless operator
an official from tne aritisn Air Ministry on loan
from Imperial Airways, two Fiji officers, and fair
native boys, making a total expedition personnel
of 15.
8.    Owing to tne impossibility of delaying
H.M.S. •Lsander- indefinitely at some of the j
islands to oe visited portion of tne expedition j
Wtts disembarked arid sent forward by tin- chartered
vessel T.H.V. 'Yanmai" sailing from Suva on
the <AUi Kovember.    Vac rerc&inir^ members ox" the
party sailed from ouva for Christaas Island via
iiull Island on trie 17tn November in H.M.S.
"Leander.,?
7. null Island wt*s reacaed on Uie <ilst
i<uvt.tr.ber eastern time, where one Surveyor and one
Fijian boy were disembarked and opportunity was
afforded during the eight hours stay for a brief
inspection to be made, the *Leanderrt sailing for
Christmas Island Uie same day.
8. ChrisUas Islanu was reached on the
kAlti November eastern time, Mere the leader of
Uie expedition, the Air Ministry official, one
Fiji Engineer, and three native Fijian boys
were disembarked.    D.^ing the "Leander's" three
day stay opportunity was taken of using naval
personnel to assist »itn landing of stares and
other preliminary work, Uie "zander" sailing for
Suva vii; Fannia-; anu Gardner Islands at 5 p.m.
on the c-6th November.    meanwhile the "Yanawai"
having sailed from Suva on the tAUi November
arrived at Gardner Island in the  iioenix Uroup on
Uie 30Ui November at 6 a.m., where the "Leander*
v. as contacted on the 1st  ocember and use made of
Uie Naval personnel for landing six I-uropean
officers and men with their stores and equipment.
9. Mr. J.A. Henderson owing to Uie re-
currence
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currence of an ailment following on an acciaent
in the surf at Raoul Island reported sick. and was
evacuated by the "Leanaer" to Suva tma thence to
RtV Zealand by tlie "Aorangi."    Mr. Lee from this
date took over as Second in Ob-rge of the expedi-
tion a^u assumed command of the Gardner end Hull
parties.
10.    The "beander" sailed the same day for
Suva, the "Yanawai' leaving for Hull island on
trie oth  ecember at 11.50 a.m.      Arriving at
Hull Island at li a.Bi. on the 7th Deceisbsr, the
"Yanawai", after discharging equipment and
explosives, sailed for Oliristm&s Island on the
till Jecember at 5 p.m., where she arrived on the
l&th December at 3 p.m.    After arrival the
equipment and crew of the "Yanawai" were pressed
into service until the 25th December when the
work being sufficiently far advancea two
officers and two Fijian boys were embarked and
trie expedition left for Fanning Island at 5 p.m.
One European officer end one Fijian boy and two
Fijisn members of the crew were left behind to
complete the investigations.    An evem. having a
bearing on ttie departure of tiie ship prior to the
completion of the work was the necessity of obtain-
ing surgical aid for the wife of a Christmas
Island labourer, a Tahitian woman, suffering from
acute sepsis.    This woman v.as rushed to Fanning
Island and after a minor amputation eventually
mode
made a com 4.ete recovery.
11.    Fannin* Island was reached on Uie <j6th
December where Uie expedition was engaged on
investigations until the 4th January when the
"Ylllil* sailed for Christmas Island at 1 p.m.
During the stay at Farming Island one of the
Fijian ere* developed influenza in an scute
form, Uiia afterwards leading to complications to
which he eventually succumbed, and iihioh also
affected the expedition's itinerary.
IX.    While ftt sea on Uie night cf trie 4u*-
5th January orders were received from New Zealand
to proceed to Washington island, which was reacued
at 5.30 p.m. on the 5th January.
15.    Frora Uie 5th to the 8th January work
proceeded at Washington Island, the expedition
sailing from tnis island for Fanning Island at
5 p.m. on Uie 8th January to obtain medical
attention for Uie Fijian patient whose condition
was now causing serious alarm.    On arrival at
Fanning island on the 9th January the case was
diagnosed as pneumonic influenza, the patient
landed into isolation hospital, and the ship
placed in quarantine until the fSSRi January. The
quarantine period having expired Uie ship was
passed by Uie doctor and sailed for Christaas
Island at 3 p.m.
14. Christmas Isl&nd was reached at 5 a.m.
on the <^4Ui January where the party left behind
was embarked and Uie snip departed for Gardner

- 7.-
Island at 8 p.m. the sme day, thriving at the
latter place at 6 a.m. on trie 39th January.
15. The rfiTifmna work at Gardner Island
was completed as coon as possible and the
expedition sailed for hull Island at 12 noon
on the 5th February (L.S.T.).    At Gardner Island
an anchorage of sorts was found about one mile
south of the wreckof the "City of Norwich. •
Ihis was used throughout the stay and a buoy
marking tiie spot loft for any visitor to the
island in the near future.
16. Hull island was rescued at 4.30 p.m.
on the 6th February where a similar procedure
regarding the completion of wor* to what had been
followed at Gardner island *as adopted. All
expedition equipment and personnel was embarked
including the party originally left by H.M.S.
"Leander,1* the ship departing for Nukunono on
the I2tfi February at 3 p.m. ana arriving there at
6.30 a.m. on tne 14Ui February.    Only 34 hours
were spent at Nukunono, the ship sailing for
Apia at 4.30 p.m. on the 15th February and coming
to anchor in Apia Harbour at 9 a. in. on the 17th.
All day was spent in connection witn surveys in
liand by a New lie aland party in oanoa, tne expedi-
tion sailing for Suva at 5 p.m.    Suva was reached
at B a. in. on the i#rd February.

- 8.-
If4     Iffipressioas of Results of investiga-
tions.
(a) From a perusal of all correspondence
available leading up to the di- patch of the
present expedition It uoula appear doubtful if
anyone connected with the authorising of investi-
gations visualised clearly the technical and
geographical factors naving a bearing on the
ultimate adoption of any particular route, and,
therefore, the routes which, from the technical
viewpoint, are most likely to be adopted and to
require close investigation.    There would also
appear to have been a certain measure of confusion
between military, commercial and political
objective which, if continued, is not likely to
produce the most desirable results technically
in any one of those directions.    This observation
is made with all due deference to the many emi-
nent and senior officers who have no doubt given
time and thought to the matter, and is made
merely to draw attention to the fact that In the
adoption of any route across such a vast expanse
as the Pacific Ocean, where different objectives
may exist at either extremity and where several
routes or combination of routes may exist between
the extremities chosen or considered as probable
likely terminal points, it is important from the
economic point of view that during initial
investigations cownercial considerations should
be
De ciboriy visualised apart from political and
military ones.
(b) Accepting as axiomatic trie statement
that witnin the limits of present technical
knowledge no lyMM PHlftt air service can be
contemplated in tht near future that does not
use Hawaii as a "stepping stone" it next becomes
obvious tiiot no natter wu&t route is followed
towards Australia and New Zealand tne next in-
escapable "stepping stone1 is some island in the
Line Group.    Of these islands the United states
of America has tried Kingman Reef and as the
advantages of this piece, notwithstanding its
ideal geograpiiical situation, *>re evidently not
wnat was anticipated, is now turning attention
to Palmyra island.    The three British islands
are situated geographically in relation to any
air route to the South Pacific in order of value
fcasnington, banning, Christmas; but unfortunately
Uieir value tecnnically is in the reverse order.
Washington is of little use for either land or
marine aircraft, Fanning is suitable as an alight-
ing ar6& fur- flying-boats only and is not suit-
able for land planes eitner in so far as the type
of aeroarorae that can be constructed to suit
local winds or in cost of producing such emergency
. landing field.
lu    Christmas Island while having large
areas of water has in general a shallow and badly
obstructed
- 10.-
obstructed lagoon which, nevertheless, aoes
gitf overy indication or providing a suitable
sea aerodrome at not unreasonable expense.
Many alternatives for a cheaply constructed land
i-erodroniG are available while the natural port
facilities, clir.v.U;, natural resources and size
of the inland put it far ahead of any other
island in the Group.     It is therefore stressed
thst in tiit: uine droup Christmas Island ls« from
Uie aviation viewpoint, Om key island and every
precaution should be taken to preserve its
sovereignty.
while both lagoon areas at Fanning and
OhrlMHI Isl&nds have been Ciaived out and buoyed
iio survey flight can oe undertaken *itnout a
competent aviation officer being stationed Uiere
and certain further *ork oarried out prior to
such a flight.
(c)   Coroing soiitn from the Line Group the
geographical importance of Uie various islands Is
not t>o clearly defined and depends on the terminal
objectives aimed at.    if New Zealand is the
chosen terminal Uien technically tue islanas for
investigation in order of geographical importance
are as follows:    (1) Danger Island and Nukualofa,
(2) Suwarrow and Nukualofa, *itii (3) Nukunono
and MM as alternative alighting areas.
If Sydney is the chosen terminal then the
most important islands are Nukunono and Viti uevu,
with the fhoenix Group as an alternative.
If
- II.-
If Brisbane or some place further north is
chosen then Uio Phoenix Group becomes of para-
mount importance.
(d) From present investigations it is
clear that Hull Island in the   hoenix Group iias
tne most suitable lgoon fo/* seaplanes wnile
Gardner can only be regarded as an emergency
alighting area.    For land aerodromes, while
liull is better than Gardner and parts of botn are
worth reserving for such a purpose, neither
is really good.    So far as the ,'hoenix Group
is concerned Hull is the most important and
really only satisfactory island, and is a most
valuable potential base.    Gardner Islam is only
a poor alternative to hull Island and while
valuable for aviation purposes all efforts should
be concentrated on securing the sovereignty
and use of Hull island for British aviation.
(e) ituRunono has a most suitable lagoon
which could be made available for use insnediately.
Unfortunately sea transport landing facilities
are very poor and no nuitable area for a land
aerodrome exists.
(f) The island of Upolu,west of Apia,
possesses s suitable lagoon while a land aerodrome
site is at present under survey.
19. Conclusion.
I,    It is recommended that a further com-
pletely equipped expedition be organized ana des-
patched from New Zealand to complete these
important
- 12.
important investi^tiona as soon as possible
and that such expedition should be equipped to
prepare Christmas, Fanning, hull, Nukunono, Apia,
and Suva for survey flights by flying boats.
II.   It is further recownended that oert&in
equipment i^iven in the attached list should be
supplied to Uie Acting Administrative Officer in
Christmas tsXaal as noon at possible so that he
will be equipped ana in a position to meet the
demands likely to be made on him at very short
notice in the mar future.
(Signed) E.A. Gibson,
Squadron-leader,
Royal Ne* Zealand Air Force
Suva,
i
28th February, 1959.

CHRISmS ISUHD.
1  UeOivOu-in yov.or LouiCi, with necessary spares.
1  i ton "Utility11 Truck, *ith necessary spares.
Portable emergency r^dio equipment, O.W. and
Telephony.
1  dinghy, 8 foet, *lth oars and rowlocks.
Aldis signalling lamps (2).
1   telephone transmitter and goou receiver.
Small hand crab winch, wire rope, 1 double and 1
single block.
? ols sucn as axes, crowbars, mattocks, shovels
(low* handled), picks, and crosscut saw,
spades, post hole augur, medium size,
(vdta extension pipe)*
1  kit of carpenter's tools.
1 small "lock up" shed.
1  garage to suit truck.
.,;Uiiiitity of tiwber to bo used for building small
explosive mpttWi with door and lock.