TRANS-TASMAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1937, Page 8

TRANS-TASMAN.

IMPORTANT AIR LINK.

BUSINESS FROM AMERICA. VIEW* OF MB. HAHOLD GATTT The importance of a trans-Tasman air service aa a final link in a round-the-world chain was emphasised by Mr. Harold Gatty, New Zealand representative of Pan American Airways, in an interview to-day. "It was never intended by Pan American Airways to run from the United States to Australia," said j Mr. Gatty. "On my first visit to New Zealand 1 made that abundantly plain. "At that time Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and others were interested in a trans-Tasman service. There was a great deal of interest iu the project and Pan American Airways announced then that is was not planning to cross the "fasman. Such a proposal would have created ill-feeling among those who we' c. pioneering the Tasnian link.

"From the commencement of planning and during all negotiations Auckland has always been definitely stated to be the terminal as far as Pan-American Airways ie. concerned. This was logical, as it would be a service that-could tie in with the projected service between Australia and New Zealand. The position at that time is the position to-day. The inauguration of a service from the United States to New Zealand will be of inestimable benefit to any British trans-Taxman service and will provide the 'planes that cross the Tasman with the major portion of their traffic.

"In other words the success of a trane-Tasmau service depends on the service that we propose establishing across the Pacific with a terminus at Auckland.

"Passengers who fly over 6000 miles across the ocean to New Zealand will not feel inclined to take passage by steamer to Australia, and the Pacific service will therefore turn over business to the trans Tasman line when established. If the Taxman crossing were a •etubb' service without a continuation across, the Pacific to America it would prove a heuvy burden on the finances of New Zealand and Australia. A transTasman service dependent wholly on local business between the two countries would be a costly undertaking to maintain, whereas with a continuation of the traffic that we expect to bring-down here from America it will have a completely different aspect and be a most important and valuable link in an all-round-the-world route. In fact, with the Tasman link provided and a service inaugurated across the Atlantic, it will l>e the onlv all-round-the-globe service in the world."