CONSENT ADVISED

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 227, 25 September 1935, Page 8

CONSENT ADVISED

"INESTIMABLE VALUE"

COMMERCE CHAMBER VIEW.

STATEMENT BY EXECUTIVE. When asked for an opinion this morning on the Tress announcement regarding trans-Pacific air services, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Gainor Jackson, deemed the matter of sufficient 'importance to warrant the calling of a meeting of the executive. The executive met at noon and subsequently has issued the following statement: "The project of Messrs. Pan-American Airways to open a direct air service between San Francisco and Auckland for the carriage of passengers, mails and express parcels, is one of the most outstanding and welcome developments in the field of transport in recent years. Normally the journey between Auckland and San Francisco by mail steamer takes 16 to 18 days. The projected service of Messrs. Pan-American Airways would reduce the time taken for travel between Auckland and San Francisco to three days. This is of enormous importance to the commercial community inasmuch as it would bring New Zealand into much closer communication with world markets in United States, Canada and Europe. Further, it would minimise the cost of cabling, and the convenience of fast travel services to commercial men and the public generally would be of inestimable value to this country. As the service develops the shorter time for travel should have the effect of increasing the number of tourists to this country.

"Without knowing the contents of the communication received by Mr. J. G. Coates from the Home Government, the Auckland Chamber .of Commerce is unable to conceive of any commercial reasons why approval should not be given to the proposed service, particularly as no financial obligations to the Neiv Zealand Government are involved. Unless there are political or military reasons for withholding approval, the Auckland Chamber'of Commerce would urge that immediate consent be given; otherwise there appears to be a grave danger of missing this opportunity of bringing New Zealand closer to the Northern Hemisphere."