Canadian Averse To Ending C.P. A. Service

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31921, 24 February 1969, Page 22

Canadian Averse To Ending C.P. A. Service

(New Zealand Press Association) HAMILTON, February 23. 1 he Government’s intention to terminate Canadian Pacific Airlines right to fly a service between Vancouver and Auckland could seriously affect New Zealand’s lamb trade with Canada, and tourism, the first secretary of the Canadian High Commission, Mr R. M. Robinson, said in Hamilton yesterday.

On Friday the Minister; of Transport (Mr Gor-I don) gave an assurance! that the indirect Air) New Zealand service to

Canada would be in no way inferior to that of C.P.A.

Although it would mean a transfer from one line to another, this did not increase the cost or the quality of shipments to Canada, said the Minister.

But Mr Robinson claimed today it was not a question of whether it would affect the meat market and tourism, but by how much.

He said his Government had been very heartened to see that New Zealand had now sent two air shipments of lamb to Canada. First Shipment “The first shipment of five tons went so fast that supermarkets ran out in two or

.three days. It is very encouraging and suggests that the market for fresh New Zea- | land lamb is probably as big |as is the airline capacity to service it,” Mr Robinson said

The lamb had been carried direct to Vancouver and this would no longer be possible after April because the New Zealand Government was in the process of terminating their agreement with C.P.A. Further Talks "There are to be talks in Auckland shortly between ! C.P.A. and A.N.Z. about this question, so the service is not completely lost. But indications are that it will be pretty hard to save it,” said Mr Robinson. This would be a great pity as the service had been running to New Zealand for 18 years.

“It is the only direct link with Canada and I have no doubt it will have a bad affect on tourism,” Mr Robinson said.

Every Two Weeks

Bearing in mind that the service ran only once every two weeks, a surprising number of Canadian tourists planned the direct route. “Also Canadian Pacific has had a reason for promoting tourism. If the agreement is terminated that reason will be gone.” He said that Canadian Pacific was the largest transport agency in Canada and one of the largest in the world.”