N.Z.’s PART IN PACIFIC ISLANDS AIR SERVICES

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24389, 16 October 1944, Page 4

N.Z.’s PART IN PACIFIC ISLANDS AIR SERVICES

CIVIL AVIATION IN N.Z.

Possible air routes across the Pacific to New Zealand are likely to be among the important subjects discussed by representatives of the Australian and New Zealand Governments at the civil aviation conference in Wellington this week.- New Zealand must play her part with Britain, Canada, and Australia in developing these services because of her position in the Pacific, but she has a greater part to play in developing air services among the islands in her immediate sphere of influence. The economic development of these islands after the war will have an important bearing upon the maintenance of peace in the Pacific area. Not improbably there will come a time when Japan will attempt again to move into the’South Pacific, The only effective barrier against her peaceful economic penetration is the native population of the islands in this area. The countries charged with the administration of these islands, therefore, must see that the health and living conditions of the native races are raised, to the highest level so that they will be better able to withstand any economic infiltration by the Japanese. This can be achieved m part by efficient administration and improved medical services, which can be applied more speedily and effectively if the islands are linked by air services. ~ . New Zealand’s Pacific Island dependencies are the Cook Islands ahd Niue Island. She. administers the mandated territory of Western Samoa, and in 1925 agreed to the British Government’s , request that she should take over the administration of Tokfelau or Union Group to the north. In addition, she shares in the control of Nauru Island with the British and Australian Governments, and has commercial links with Fiji, Tonga, and Tahiti, Many years ago a considerable trade between New Zealand and the islands of the Pacific wag carried out by sailing ships from Auckland. In more recent years communication between New Zealand and Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands has been maintained- by thd Union Steam Ship Company’s motor vessel Matua, while the Government has maintained a service to Samoa an.d Niue with' the motor vessel Maui Pomare. Though small steamers carrying passengers, mail, and cargo have maintained regular services within the island groups,' some islands have had to depend upon the irregular visits of trading schooners calling only once or twice a year. Lack of Interest

The absence of rapid communications between New Zealand and her dependencies is one reason why New Zealanders take too little- interest in them. Many think of them only as a source of oranges and bananas. The problems of the native races are not appreciated; interest in administration is slight, Tourist traffic, has been •developed, in annual cruises,' and the Government has not attempted to encourage it. ♦ The war, which has restricted communications even more, has also brought , many changes sure to affect the development of New Zealand territory in the Pacific. Airfields have been constructed on remote islands, transport and bomber aircraft of the Royal New Zealand Air Force have flown regularly all over the area in which the Dominion is most interested, and large numbers of New Zealand troops have been stationed in the islands. After the war our responsibilities in the Pacific will be better known and better understood.

Already there are indications that the Government is interested in the operation of air services between New Zea-

(Specially Written for "The Press.”) [By "WINGSPEEAD"]

land and the Pacific islands, apart from its participatfng in an international route to Canada and the United States. The report of the inter-departmental committee on civil aviation is believed to have dealt with this question, and already the Government has planned to spend £81,350 on the development of an airport at Rardtonga. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. <Fraser) has said that Rarotonga might form a very important link in the chain of air communications after the war perhaps from Mexico, Panama, and British Honduras, from the Bahamas arid Bermuda, and from Canada and Britain. Also he has indicated that the airport will enable New Zealand to keep in closer and quicker contact with the Cook Islands. Solving Difficulties

Many difficulties of administration, including that of providing adequate health services for the native races, would be solved by air services among - the various islands. Policy decisions could be expedited; help could be given speedily to the people of remote islands, in the event of hurricane damage; and " the closer link between the Govern- -‘ ment and the administration would' make it possible to rely more upon native administrators in the islands,

An air . tourist service between the Dominion and the islands has immense possibilities. Many people would spend long winter holidays in the Pacific if they knew that they could travel from New Zealand in a few hours. It has been argued against the development of tourist traffic in our Pacific dependencies that it may in. iuriously affect the native people; but that does not hold good if the natives achieve economic independence and the medical services are adequate.

The establishment of these Pacific air services t which should be part ol the civil aviation policy that the Gov. ernment has not yet made public, raises the important question of their - control. New Zealand and Australia'.’ have suggested an Empire-controliefi world air service in the International: . field, and the Government may cor.: ', sider State , control. Such service* v; ’ would have to be heavily subsidised.-',:: The tourist traffic would not pay'th®^*' operating costs, .and there would few possibilities for the developments of freight traffic. Union backed by the Union Steam Ship Com-'M pany, which has had shipping interest!®; in the'Paciflc for many years, is knowyt,. to have plans for air services in •thft't. area served by the Matua .before. thi;fwar, probably radiating from Suva. *-; An alternative to complete State con. i ■ trol could be a company formed o£>? • the same lines as Tasman IJjnplre Air- *■' ■ ways, the British, Australian, and Zealand Governments holding the jorlty of the shares. . ■ ' “ If the New Zealand-Government de-.’-r cided to run its own services there <"■ would be no difficulty in obtaining the necessary trained personnel Pilots, navigators, and "radio operators,'“ could be drawn from the Pacific Feny [ Flight of the Royal New Zealand A», - Force, which has flown bombers across .> the Pacific from Hawaii, and from the,- 1 -• Pacific Transport Squadron, which been flying supplies and personnel/to'"-' ■ R.N.Z.A.F. bases in the Pacific, Metewv r -' ological and aeradio services y for these operations could fornv'.ihe-j-, basis of civil services. Because Britain, the United Statt#' 1 ’ Australia, New Zealand, and -Frahc*^ 1 all have interests in the south Pacific - it has been suggested that air services.,, in this area should .be developed der the control of a regional which would set operational co-ordinate meteorological and aeracufrl services,. and administer the nece:say~-> • regulations. -New Zealand should'®}..'' represented'on any such authojm ; ,r The Government is believed to hawp - considered proposals of this natufej?; 1 . and the question is likely to be dig*£ cussed at the Empire and international," civil. aviation conferences to be held;; in Canada and the United State* - shortly. '