TASMAN FLIGHT FORBIDDEN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25282, 6 September 1947, Page 10

TASMAN FLIGHT FORBIDDEN

SKYMASTER TRIP TO HAREWOOD ACTION BY AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT Because of the need to curtail dollar expenditure on petrol and spare parts, the Australian Government has forbidden the proposed flight of an Australian National Airways Skymaster from Melbourne to Harewood via Ohakea. Advice to this effect was received in Christchurch yesterday from Mr A. J. Scott, of Melbourne, and formerly of Christchurch, who had arranged to charter the aircraft. “Undoubtedly this decision was influenced by the insistence of the New Zealand Government that the machine should touch down at Ohakea for customs and health clearances, a process wasteful of time and money as well as petrol,” said Mr J. R. Dench, chairman of the South Island Overseas Air Terminal Committee. “While we are anxious to help Britain and ourselves by conserving dollar funds, it seems extraordinary to /begin the economy with the inter-colonial services, particularly as the Tasman Empire Airways aeroplanes are carrying full loads each way, and any charter trips in present circumstances must be filling a demand for passenger transport.”

Mr Dench said it was even more extraordinary that the Australian Government should forbid a flight by an Australian National Airways Skymaster while at the same time it had allowed charter flights by Skymasters of its State-owned airline. Trans-Aus-tralian Airways. Seven Tasman crossings had been made by TransAustralia Skymasters under charter to Tasman Empire Airways. “The Governments of the Commonwealth and this Dominion—in fact all British Dominions—owe a national duty to develop by every means in their power this wonderful new source of national wealth —the airways,” added Mr Dench. “It would be paradoxical to allow the present unsatisfactory position to remain. Carried to its logical conclusion, the decision would involve the withdrawal of British-owned air services in favour of countries such as the United States, and this is as unthinkable in relation to airways as it is in respect to seaways.” _____________