CANADIAN AIR EXPERT

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24536, 9 April 1945, Page 4

CANADIAN AIR EXPERT

VISIT TO DOMINION PROPOSED DISCUSSIONS ON CIVIL AVIATION

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 8. With the object of discussing plans for the establishment'of a British commercial aviation service in the Pacific after the war, the Director of Canadian Air Services (Mr J. A. Wilson) arrived in Auckland by flying-boat from Sydney on Saturday. He was met by the Acting-Controller of Civil Aviation in' New Zealand (Wing Commander J. M. Buckeridge), and during his stay in the Dominion will be the guest of the New Zealand Government, Mr Wilson’s visit is the result of an invitation issued at the time of the British Commonwealth Air Conference in Montreal, He intends staying in New Zealand for about 10 days, and during this timei he will meet the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. W, Nash) and other members of Cabinet. He will also study civil aviation .systems in the Dominion, At the conclusion of bis visit. Mr Wilson intends to spend a month in Australia, where he will be engaged in similar discussions, Mr Wilson was expected to arrive In Auckland on Friday morning, but the Royal Air Force Transport Command Liberator aeroplane in which he was flying from the United States encountered bad weather, and the pilot was forced to fly on to Sydney. Mr Wilson landed at Sydney on Friday afternoon, and left for Auckland the following morning. Wide Knowledge and Experience

One of Canada’s senior Government officials, Mr Wilson has been prominently associated with the growth of air services in Canada since the beginnings of air transport. He served in the Navy during the Great War. When the U-boat threat to shipping off the eastern seaboard of Canada became serious he was put in charge of the anti-submarine patrol system. His experience in this work contributed to his interest in aviation generally, and since the last war he has oeen the most prominent figure in civil aviation in Canada. He is a Government director of Trans-Canada Air Lines, and was a delegate to the Chicago Air Conference. ’