CONTROL OF AIR SERVICES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 50, 8 December 1948, Page 4

CONTROL OF AIR SERVICES

Meeting of Transport Council s IMPORTANT DECISIONS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Qec. 7. After more than 80 working hours extending over seven working days, the South Pacific Air Transport Council concluded its third series of meetings. The conference dealt with many features of outstanding importance. Canada has participated in a council meeting as a full member for the first time, which has been welcomed with enthusiasm by all the delegations present. Approval has been given by representatives of the governments concerned for the operation of Douglas DC-6 aircraft by B.C.P.A. on their Pacific services. The purchase of Short Solent flyingboats for Tasman Empire Airways was confirmed by the delegations of the governments concerned. The conference has recommended for consideration by the governments concerned that the future international civil airport at Fiji should be located at Suva Point, instead of at Nandi, the occupation of which will be resumed by New Zealand defence authorities after construction of Suva Point as a civil airport. Canada has intimated that Canadian Pacific Airlines has been designed to operate the air services between Vancouver and Sydney, with a connecting link to New Zealand, beginning in the middle of 1949.

The Minister in Charge of Civil Aviation (Mr F. Jones) said that the meeting afforded opportunity for discussion between partner governments about .Tasman Empire Airways, which had been operating under great difficulties. Present equipment was not the most suitable, and because of the absence of regular trans-Tasman shipping services, it had been necessary for the company to supply almost the whole of the transport requirements between Australia and New Zealand. It was never intended that the service should do this. Next. year the Solent flying-boats would be in use.