AIR ROUTES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 231, 13 July 1935, Page 6

AIR ROUTES

NEW SERVICES MOOTED. TO DARWIN IN 108 HOURS. PLANS UNDER DISCUSSION. (United Press Association—Copyright) (Received! This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 12. The “Daily Telegraph” says that an air service to Darwin in 108 hours by seaplanes flying day and night, and also services to the Cape, to the Argentine and to New York, are being discussed with shipping and banking interests by a member of the House of Commons (Mrs H. 81. Tate) and Mr Winfield Smith. Mrs Tate says that by using existing harbours and meteorological and radio facilities, the services could operate without a subsidy with aeroplanes carrying 30 to 40 passengers, with a speed of 190 mixes an hour.

TASMAN AIR LINE. y BRITISH QUARTERS STARTLED. CONTINUING EMPIRE SCHEME. LONDON, July 11. Mr Parkhill’s announcement that he had approved the principle of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s plans for a Tasman service under the sole control of the Australian and New Zealand Governments, attracted much attention in Britain. The aircraft industry, which, in view of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s known preference for American aircraft, has been caused some perturbation, and has been pressing for some indication on a joint policy by Britain and the Dominion Governments, points out that there has been no further official information since the AngloDominion conference in Sydney in February. Sir Cunliffe-Lister, in the House of Commons to-day, saidl that he was not in a position to make a statement beyond the fact that- considerable progress was being made by the Dominions. One of the reasons for his reticence was the fact that the Air Ministry, the Post Office, the Treasury and the • Dominions Office were all concerned in the scheme.

The Dominion .Office spokesman pointed out the fact that Australia and New Zealand taking sole control of the Tasman route did not imply their non-co-operation in the larger Imperial, scheme, which, so far, has been mapped out only as far as Sydney. 'Other quarters, however, have previously regarded the Tasman route as an integral part of the Empire scheme and interpret the Australian and New Zealand attitude as one of impatience at the slowness of the progress toward a general Imperial agreement. It is understood that Capt. Johnston (Director of Civil Aviation) whose London mission includes technical details of the Tasman service, disagrees with the British viewpoint that the Tasman route is one exclusively fox flying-boats. He prefers its development with the most suitable aixciait available, whether British or American, rather than, await the large, hig speed, flying-boats Short Brothers are now building for Imperial Airways. . Captain Johnston said the Amencans were confident that they could establish a trans-Atlantic service before Imperial Airways. The Americans were secretive about the machines they would use, but claimed) that they have suitable aeroplanes to operate via Bermuda and The Azores, and also on the northerly route, without awaiting the construction of flying-boats in England, for which the Sikorsky and Bellanca companies were forming Bntish companies to have factories at Belfast and Liverpool.

NO AMERICAN PLANES. (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The Minister of Defence (Mr Parkhill) stated that it was not the Intention of the Commonwealth to use American flying boats on the Tasman Air Service because of the existing embargo on American aeroplanes in Australia.. NOT “ANTI-EMPIRE GESTURE.” (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 12. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, commenting on the London cable message, said: “It would be very wrong to take as an anti-Empire gesture my recommendation for American aircraft for the trans-Tasman service. .Through no fault on Britain’s part, the Americans have produced a type of aircraft eminently suitable for operation within and between the Dominions, and it is obvious that both Australia and New Zealand will becpme far more valuable units of the Empire when they are connected by an efficient and regular air-mail and passenger service.” KINGSFORD SMITH’S PLANS. PROCEEDING TO AMERICA. (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith intends to leave Sydney shortly for the United States and England to study recent developments in aviation on behalf of

the Tasman Ain Service Development Company. _ He also hopes to obtain a certificate of airworthiness for the Lockheed Altair monoplane, which he left in the United States, and to fly it from England to Australia. He expects to make this flight in October, and later proposes to fly) to Japan on a goodwill tour.

IMPERIAL AIRWAYS PLANS. COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSALS. BRISBANE, July 12. Mr A. E. Rudder, Australian representative of Imperial Airways, Ltd., who arrived from London by air, provided details of extensive plans for the development of the Empire air services. He said his company was quite prepared to duplicate the Singapore-Aus-tralia service, while if flying boats were adopted for the through service, in all probability the existing Australian service would be extended to New Zealand.

H 6 added that the definite plan was that the services must not be sectional, but must stretch to all the Dominions and colonies.