RESUMES SOON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 110, 12 May 1939, Page 8

RESUMES SOON.

PACIFIC AIRWAY.

NEW BASES PLANNED.

CANTON IS. AND NOUMEA. PARTY IN THE MARIPOSA. Prospects of the early renewal of Pun-American "Airways' service linking Auckland with San Francisco were brightened to-day with the arrival in the Mariposa of a party of company officers, who are on their way to Noumea. Xew Caledonia, to establish an intermediate base.

Although the time is not ripe for a positive official announcement to b^ , made, there is every indication that the Waitcmata Harbour will within a very few months receive one of the giant Boeing Clippers on its lirst survey flight over a newly-organised route. No evidence is known which would suggest that the South Pacific terminal of the service will 'be in any other country than New Zealand, in spite of rumours that have been prevalent that the company intended to transfer its terminal base from Auckland to Australia.

The new route to be followed, will be Honolulu, Canton Island, NoumeaAuckland. Two stopping places on the original route—-Kingmaii Reef and Pago Pago—will l>e omitted. Kinsman Reef has no facilities for a land base, while the topographical nature of Pago Pago make* it unsuitable for use by the huge new flying boats.

Equipment and Supplies.

To establish a base at Canton Island, a party ie on its way there by steamer. The officers in the Mariposa, which is carrying radio and constructional equipment and supplies, will travel on to Sydney and tranship there for Noumea, which they expect to reach within a fortnight. The length of their etay ie indefinite.

A familiar figure in the Mariposa's party, which includes radii) ami airport ••■instructional and operational exports, is Mr. A. L.. Lewis, who was airport manager here until the service was interrupted last year. With him are Messrs. (i. T). Athertoii. J. J. Onshman. H. E. Jubinville, S. M. Filipovieh and P. Fisher. In company with Mr. Harold <iatty. New Zealand representative of Pan-American Airways, they visited the base at Mechanics' Bay this morning.

One of the company's meteorologists, Mr. E. B. Buxton, who was also previously stationed at Auckland, in expected to return in the Aoiangi at the end of this month to resume his task of compiling a weather history of the South Pacific area. Project Never Abandoned. In a special interview with the Sun Francisco correspondent of the "Auckland Star," the chief of the public relations' department at the San Francisco offices of Pan-American Airways. "Mr. Walton, said that the primary problems and complications which followed the loss of the Sauioaii Clipper lay in the facts that, firstly, there was no equipment available with which to continue experimental service, and. secondly, certain new arrangements had to he made in connection with the fxiMing contracts and agreements.

"There is one thought that should be ntiM|iißH-«l." Mr. Walton said, "and that '< that Pan-American Airways system, in the lament-able loss of the Samoaii flipper, never decided to abandon the projected service in the South Pacih'c. The reverse is the actual caee, for we have kept working for the realisation of the projected airline to Auckland. In the meantime, while new general arrangements were being effected by the various Governments involved, we have had a valued opportunity to give further study to the route of the whole area down, there." Base at Canton. Mr. Walton mentioned that as far as Canton Island was concerned, it would be recalled that an arrangement of joint ownership had been completed between London and Washington. Two years ago the United States Government ■started colonisation on Canton, and a number of Government-employed men were sent from Honolulu. Their principal duties were to collect weather reports for airline purposes, but the British Government raked the question of British claims to the territory.

"Washington haa just made an announcement that the United States State Department had received approval from the British Government granting permission to Pan-American Airways to ii<<e Canton Island if we rind it "necessary in establishing our airline between California and Auckland. We have been officially notified of the British Government decision in the matter and accordingly we are eending a ship there, departing from San Francisco on April 28, with the object of establishing a temporary airline base on Canton Island. The supply ship is the Northhaven, which iias been engaged in similar work when we were laying down the Cali-

fornia-Orient airline through Wakefield, Midway and Guam Jwlands. The Xorthliaven is carrying technical equipment neceseary to build the air base." Twice-Monthly Service. Asked for specific details of the equipment contemplated for use on the line from San lYancisco to Auckland, Mr. Walton "We will probably use one of the latest Hoeing aeroplanes, which are the world's larjrest commercial airliner*. They are \7rZ feet in wingspread and weijjli over forty tons. There i« a piis.««'!i;'cr capacity of 73, with a crew of I'levcn or twelve. In addition to carrying |iii.*sengcrs, we expect to carry large quantities of express packages and air mail.

'"According to our latest estimate we expect to negotiate the flight from San Francisco Bay to Auckland in not more than five days.

"We have been assured that business men are eagerly anticipating the official inauguration of the new airline, wMch will travel the entire journey from San Francisco to Xew Zealand and will not be simply a branch from Honolulu ■southwards. The service from San Francisco to the Antipodes will be entirely distinct from that already in titration from here to the Orient. The passengers from here for Xew Zealand will be able to travel on the same Clipper without changing at the Hawaiian islands, unless the passenger desires to stay a few days in Honolulu to await the next southward departure. No definite date is possible to state at the present time, but no time will be lost in establishing the twice-a-month service to Xew Zealand."