PACIFIC LINE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 295, 26 September 1935, Page 4

PACIFIC LINE

AMERICAN AIR SERVICE.

NEW ZEALAND’S POSITION

(Special to'the “Guardian.”) WELLING'fON, September 25

When the Minister of Finance (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) passed through the United States on his return from England recently, lie discussed with the principals of .Pan-American Airways their plans to extend tlieir Pacific service to New Zealand. Mr Coates today confirmed the statement that full information regarding the proposal had been cabled' to the Imperial authorities.

“We are keenly interested in the proposals being made,” he continued, “and it is a. question which concerns the Empire Governments. Therefore, communications are in course of transmission at the moment concerning the Pacific scheme. Of course, New Zealand is tremendously interested from two angles, both of the Pacific and the Tasman, and in general we are anxious, isolated as we are in the South Pacific, to improve our communications.” Pan-American Airways’ proposal to extend its Pacific service beyond American Samoa to Auckland was explained fully to the New Zealand Government by its representative, Mr Haloid Catty, and is regarded in official circles as extremely attractive. Consultation With Britain.

Pan-American Airways’ plans for including New Zealand in its Pacific service have been communicated by cablegram to the British Government, and inquiries in official circles here show that this has been done not because the approval of the Imperial authorities is required, but to obtain their comment on the proposal that a foreign company intends to include New Zealand in its services. Pan-American Airways does not propose to extend the route to Australia, but having an obligation under its subsidy arrangement with the American Government to fly to American Samoa, it is considered a commercial proposition to make the comparatively short extension to Auckland.

An important aspect is its bearing on overseas mail services, particularly the arrangement under which Imperial Airways and its associated concern will in 1937 extend the Croydon-Sydney service across the Tasman by flying boats. If the Pacific service operates prior to the Empire route, it is not expected to complicate the position, as the New Zealand postal authorities, while naturally prepared to utilise any fast inean« of transit, would not regard tlio Pacific service as in any way replacing the existing contract services by steamer to Ban Franc-iso and Vancouver.

'From inquiries made here to-day, it is ascertained that Mr Gatty expressed the view that, in the event of Auckland being the terminal, it would be necessary for machines to land 1 in Rangitoto Channel, as their weight made other places impossible owing to the shallow waters and the uncertainty of ivcatlici conditions. On the other hand, lio is said to favour Wellington as a terminal on account of the deepness of tho water close in and the large area qf sheltered water. X'l J " '" '