HOPE DEFERRED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 42, 19 February 1937, Page 6

HOPE DEFERRED.

Is this Dominion to have a place on tho main lines of the world's airways, or is it to be at the end of a single branch line? Less than eighteen months ago there appeared good reason to hope that Auckland would be the terminal both of Pan-American Airways' South Pacific service, and of Imperial Airways' service via India and Australia. The development of the British service has been delayed by the long dispute between Britain and Australia, and although an agreement has been reached between those countries New Zealand's part in it, if any, remains unknown.. Attention has now been drawn to the fact that the negotiations between Pan-American Airways and the New Zealand Government have been protracted, and so far have been fruitless. No doubt the New Zealand Government, whose hopes in other and more important matters cannot be realised if it wap"" the goodwill of the British Government, is wise in being cautious, but whether its purposes are better served by reticence than they would oalby candour is doubtful.' New Zealand needs all the communication 1 faetfities obtainable, and there appears a ; danger that the attractive American offer will be withdrawn if the Government does not, or cannot, make up its mind.