AMERICA CLAIMS ISLANDS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 28 June 1935, Page 5

AMERICA CLAIMS ISLANDS

British Territory Wanted for Use as Air Bases PLANS FOR PACIFIC SERVICE (United Prefii Association —By Electric Telegraph Copyright). HONOLULU, June 27. There are indications at Honolulu that the United. States plans to claim the sovereignty of Jarvis, Baker and Howland Islands preparatory to tfie establishment of an air service between the United States and the Antipodes. The coastguard cutter Itasca placed four Hawaiians on each, of these islands several weeks ago to be established as American colonies. These islands are claimed by Great Britain, but they have been unoccupied for decades. Tho men in tho camps on the islands are making hourly weather reports under the direction of the United States Bureau of Air Commerce.

Mr W. T. Millar, representative of the Bureau of Air Commerce at Honolulu, declines to discuss the sover--eignty question, which is certain to be raised. A schooner is being outfitted now for a south seas cruise to investigate the question of an air route to tho Antipodes. The cruise is reported to be backed by pan-American Airways interests. Mr Harold Gatty, the round-the-world flier, is associated with the investigations, but ho claims he is hero on a vacation while on the way to Australia.