AIR ROUTE TO NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22004, 30 January 1937, Page 13

AIR ROUTE TO NEW ZEALAND

REPORTED plans for

SURVEY

PAN-AMERICAN AIRWAYS

CHINA CLIPPER CAPTAIN

AT ALAMEDA

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Received January 29, 11.5 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, January 28. Although the local Pan-American Airways office disclaimed knowledge, reports from San Diego and Honolulu have persisted that the Thina Clipper captain, Captain Edwin Musick, is planning a flight lo survey the route to New Zealand. Captain Musick is known to be at Alameda with an aeroplane. It is believed that the reports are well founded because the Niagara took four Pan-American Airways men, with supplies, southward from Hono*U preparations may be delayed because of the supply ship North Wind being strike-bound at Honolulu, where she called to replenish supplies of fuel and water after visiting stations.

awaiting end of NEGOTIATIONS

MR HAROLD GATTY’S

STATEMENT

NO KNOWLEDGE OF SURVEY FLIGHT

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WELLINGTON, January 29. • A statement that it was impossible for plans to be made for his company to undertake a survey flight to New Zealand until it had received word from him of a satisfactory conclusion of the present negotiations with the New Zealand Government was made to-night by Mr Harold GaUy, Australia and New Zealand representative of Pan-American Airways, and the Douglas Aircraft Corporation, Ltd., who is in Wellington. ’ “I have no knowledge of any aeroplane in San Francisco being prepared for a survey flight to New Zealand,” he said. “An aeroplane that is there is destined, as far as I know, for the Manila-Hong Kong route. However, I cannot answer for San Francisco. It is perfectly true that men were dispatched along the San Francisco-New Zealand route, and preparations have been made, .in continuation of plans that have been going on for the last year and a half. As to the possibility of a survey flight down to New Zealand, I disclaim any definite knowledge of it. It is impossible for qs to make a flight until negotiations are completed. We have made no secret of our preparations, and., the rest is entirely dependent upon the decision of the New Zealand Government.” Mr Gatty said he would remain in New Zealand until the negotiations were completed one way _or , , the other, concerning the extension of the agreement allowing the company to fly to New Zealand, which expired on December 31.

“RAPIDLY NEARING AN

AGREEMENT”

\ EMPIRE AIR MAIL SERVICE

LONDON, January 28,

The Air Ministry, without committing itself regarding the Australian Statement that the air mail service is beginning in January, declares that the Government is rapidly tearing an agreement.