MANY DIFFICULTIES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 111, 4 February 1935, Page 9

MANY DIFFICULTIES

Tasman Air Service Canberra, February 2. The Minister of Defence. Mr. R. A. Parkhill, discussing tiie prospect of an air service linking Australia and New Zealand, said that although bis department had long realised the advantages, there were many difficulties to be overcome before a regular air service could be established over such a large expanse of water. The recent visit of the New Zealand delegation had provided an opportunity for the exchange of views on the subject, but deeper consideration was deferred until after the return of the Commonwealth Controller of Civil Aviation from a trip abroad, where hq was studying the latest developments of aircraft, wireless, and other aids to trans-oceanic navigation.

GOODWILL FLIGHT

New Zealander’s Project

(Received February 3, 6.30 p.m.)

Sydney, February 3.

Squadron Leader T. W. White,, the New Zealander, is contemplating a flight from Australia to Japan on a “goodwill mission.” He has asked the postal authorities' for permission to carry official air mail.

Squadron Leader T. W. White was at one time pilot instructor to the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast Aero Club, and later chief pilot of New Zealand Airways. A week ago it was decided to offer him the post of chief pilot to East Coast Airways, which is due to begin operations on April 1. The plans for the flight to Japan wero entirely dependent on the approval of the Postal Department for the carriage of mail, Squadron Leader White stated in Sydney, when making the first announcement of his plan. It was proposed that Mr. B. Sheil, also well known in New •Zealand, .should be eo-pilot on the flight.

Interviewed in Melbourne, however, the Director of Postal Services, Mr. H. P. Brown, said: “The department has authorised no, air mail flight to Japan, and is not very likely to.”

PLANE STRIKES TREES Mrs. Miller’s Misfortune (Received February 4, 1 a.in.) London, February 3. Mrs. Keith Miller, after crossing the Sahara in a flight toward Cape Town, left Naiiney for Cotonou. She encountered bush (ires, witli smoke and mists. Her petrol became exhausted and she was forced to land on a road at Calavi. She was compelled to swerve to avoid natives, collided with trees and broke the back of the machine, which cannot be repaired locally. .Mrs. Miller is uninjured but bitterly disappointed. GERMAN PLANE’S CRASH Ice on Wings Thought Cause (Received February 3, 6.30 p.m.) Berlin, February 1. The crash of the Deruluft airliner near Stettin, in which all 11 occupants were killed, is attributed to the formation of ice on the wings and wireless aerial during a blizzard The . pilot lost his way and was unable to get his position by wireless. His last wireless message to Stettin said that the aerial was being slowly covered with ice. The machine crashed into a hillside a quarter of an hour later The victims included Baron Marschall Von Bieberstein leader of the Airport Association and Hermann Westphal, the pilot who lias . flown 1,900,000 kilometres on this route, but the snow and darkness obliterated all landmarks. The liner burnt for three hours before the victims could be extricated. LIVERPOOL AS AIRPORT (British Official Wireless.) (Received February 3. 5.5 pirn.) Rugby, February 1. At the inauguration at Liverpool airport of the air mail service to the Isle of Man, the Lord Mayor said it was to be the forerunner of an extensive system of international air mail and passenger services operating from Liverpool. which, he foresaw, would in the future be the great air junction of the north.