'Excutive won’t quit’

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 6

'Excutive won’t quit’

PA Auckland Air New Zealand’s chief executive, Mr. M, R. Davis, will not be giving’ up his position without a fight, according to the “New Zealand Herald.”. ' - The paper’s aviation reg)rtefr said that although Mr avis would not comment publicly on the Mount •Erebus crash -report, which severely criticises him and the airline, friends and business associates said he would not be>.walking aways from the allegations. • It .is believed he Is not contemplating resigning at present: Rather, he is preparing to fight and. clear his and the airline’s name.

When the report was first released bn Monday its impact -on Mr Davis was shattering. However, by yesterday, be had apparently

hardened his attitude and resolved to fight the findings. The basis for the fight is believed to centre on the belief — and it is held by many people in the company — that some of the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry, Mr Justice Mahon, were not justified. If it is accepted that the commissioner’s findings are not valid then, say some airline executives, there is no question of Mr David’s resigning.. At Air New Zealand offices yesterday there were cards and telephone messages wishing the company and Mr Davis well, even some flowers, but they did little to dispel the air of disbelief that surrounded the company. Many staff could not accept the findings of the Commission.

They had been expecting a report which pulled no punches, but. nothing as ( severe as Mr Justice Mahon's deliberation. It has left members of the staff stunned. Many said they wanted to see the evidence for the commissions damning indictment on some of the airline’s senior management.

The only rays of light in Air New Zealand were those created by well-wishers. There were cards and messages of good will to the airline and Mr Davis, and in the airline’s Queen Street, Auckland, booking office there was a bunch of flowers and a card from an “occasional traveller.”

The day after the crash in 1979 the ticket office also received a bunch of flowers from “occasional traveller.”