TASMAN BY AIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 207, 2 September 1938, Page 8

TASMAN BY AIR.

CALL AT WELLINGTON. PUBLIC WILL DEMAND IT. COMMENT ON THE REPORT. 1 (By Telegraph-—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day There is a general conviction among all those whom the report of the Committee of Investigation into the Ta.mq air terminal question was discussed that though the service may in its lir=t few months operate between Sydney at*} Auckland, Wellington must be included as a point of call in response to a wide public demand, not mereiv from Wellington people, but from ihe public of the southern part of the North I-laad and of the whole of the South Island, says the "Evening Post."' Mr. C. M. TurrelL, chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, has no doubts upon that point. "Because of Wellington's geographical position it must eventually t>e included in th© Empire flying-boat service. he said. "The public will not remain content with passengers and mails for the whole of New Zealand l»eing forced to arrive and depart solely from Auckland. A terminal will be estab'.i-hed in Wellington more or less automatic-ally." Mr. Turrell said that he was not ii a position to criticise the report of the committee in detail, but it did appear unsatisfactory if—as he read the report —the committer had relied upo* meteorological data gathered at the Rongotai aerodrome, a considerable distance removed and lacking any shelter whatever, k guide for its conclusions at to wind conditions in the sheltered area of the harbour in Evans Bay i* view as the probable fly.ng-boat base. "I do not agree that true deduction! can be drawn as to wind conditions at one point from records collected under entirely different conditions from a station a mile away. What Investigations Elsewhere? "Wellington Harbour has now beea subjected to * close scrutiny and its advantages and disadvantages have been stated," continued Mr. TurrelL "Surely the public should also be toM whether a similar, or any. investigation has been made of Auckland Harbour. That heavy winds blow in Auckland no one can deny, nor can anyone overlook the record of gale damage at Auckland, for which there is no parallel in the records of Wellington Harbour. ''However, that is not the main point, which is that the majority of the people -6f New Zealand will not be served a sole Tasman air terminal at Auckland. The report remarks on present difficulties, but it does not say that those difficulties of operation, largely "arising from the present stage of development of aircraft, will not be overcome. and it is my conviction that Wellington will, and must, be made a regular point of call for the Tasman service. "The Wellington Harbour Board has from the first stated its readiness to cooperate with companv and Government in the provision of any reasonable facilities, but obviously we cannot embark upon expenditure until we know what will be required. As with aircraft themselves, so the base requirements are altering rapidly. The board is seeking the latest advice upon these requirements and will assist to the full in bringing the flying-boat service to Wellington."