TASMAN AIR MAIL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 239, 23 July 1935, Page 8

TASMAN AIR MAIL

KINCSFORD SMITH’S PLAN. (Per Press Association.) ' AUCKLAND, July 22. “It is now up to New Zealand. If your Government says ‘Yes,’ the transTasman air service can be put into operation with a minimum of delay. The Commonwealth Government is most favourable to the scheme,” said Sir Charles Kingsford Smith on his arrival from Sydney to-day. He said that Imperial Airways, which was a private dividend-earning firm, had never considered making New Zealand the last link in its route until he announced he was entering the field. Why should Imperial Airways receive preference? If a company were formed by New Zealanders and Australians, a link could still be made with the Imperial scheme. “The Tasman crossing is purely a domestic service,” said Sir Charles. “We have the personnel, the technicians and the capital and, above all, we have the ethical right to conduct the service. We are the pioneers of the Tasman crossing, and so far no outsiders have shown any willingness to spend money on a survey of the route. They are prepared, however, to use all the information we have gathered oyer recent years and walk into the job. It would not be a fair thing.” Sir Charles said that he would fly to Wellington to-morrow to place before the Government the proposals for the service. He would suggest the use of American flying boats carrying 20 passengers and baggage and a ton of mails. They would cross the Tasman in nine hours. A bi-weekly service each way was proposed fiom Sydney to Auckland Harbour. Ho expressed the opinion that the single fare would be £25 at first, but would be reduced later on.

Sir Charles said that if a reasonable subsidy v.ere not forthcoming from the New Zealand Government for a flying boat service, he would propose an alternative service for mails only to bo carried by land aeroplanes. The American twin-engined Douglas ’plane was under consideration. It had a speed of 185 to 200 miles an hour. It had been suggested that the proportion of the subsidy paid by the New Zealand Government should be GO per cent, and Australia’s 40, but a later suggestion, which had been discussed, was a long-term agreement with both countries contributing equally. Sir Charles will leave Wellington on Friday for New Plymouth and will sail on Saturday from Auckland for Los Angeles.