The Press SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1949. Harewood-Australia Air Service

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25709, 22 January 1949, Page 6

The Press SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 1949. Harewood-Australia Air Service

Both the Melbourne “ Herald ” and the Mayor of Dunqdin (Sir Donald Cameron) appear to have attached too much importance to the refusal of the Australian Federal Government to declare the Essendon airport at Melbourne an international airport. This is one of the least of ; the difficulties that still stand in the way of a direct air service between Harewood and Australia. It can be removed at a word from the Australian Government; but obviously the word will not be given until the three Governments which jointly own Tasman Empire Airways have agreed either to extend | the company’s service to a South j Island-Australia link or to surrender I their monopoly and allow private enterprise to step in. The latter development, of course, is much the less likely, notwithstanding that private enterprise is willing and able to provide the service which air travellers in both New Zealand and Australia are demanding with increasing insistence, and which the State-owned airline is unable or unwilling to provide. But whereas Harewood aerodrome has yet to be extended and its runways strengthened and sealed before it can be certified as an international airport, Essendon is already ah international airport in everything but name. This needs to be fully understood by those in the South Island who are interested in the establishment of a direct air link with Australia. In his opening address at the meeting of the South Pacific Air Transport Council last November, the acting-Prime Minister * (Mr Nash) referred to the possibility of a service from Harewood “to

*’ Sydney or Melbourne ” being established shortly. It is true that a second Tasman service based on Harewood need not have its terminal at Melbourne—which is another reason why lack of a declared international airport at Melbourne should not .be regarded as an obstacle to such a service—but it seems both logical and economically sound to- have separate terminals in each country for the two services. Sir Donald Cameron pointed out in his interview with the Melbourne “ Herald ” that a traveller from the South Island to Melbourne . has to travel almost twice as far—at double the cost—through flying first to Auckland, then to Sydney,- arid then down to Melbourne; as he would have to travel if there were a direct service. The ideal, of course, would be to have services from Auckland and Harewood going to both Sydney and Melbourne; but that may not be practicable for many vears. In the interval the best compromise is an AucklandSydney service and a HarewoodMelbourne service. The J air traveller will then be able to make his own choice as to the country in which he will do his overland flying. He should not need to wait much longer before being able to make this choice.