OVERSEAS AIR SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 196, 16 May 1936, Page 13

OVERSEAS AIR SERVICE

American’s Investigations By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, May 15. The establishment of an air service to connect Manila, in the Philippine Islands, with New Zealand and Australia, is the subject of preliminary investigations by Mr. F. V. Blair, owner of the Grand Central Airport at St. Petersberg, Florida, who arrived by the Monlercy from the United States. Mr. Blair, who is president of Hie Florida Slate Airport Association, is accompanied by his general manager, Mr. John L. Lee, and also by his mother, Mrs. Blair. In the short time at his disposal before continuing his voyage to Sydney, Mr. Blair Visited Mangere aerodrome and also obtained a general impression of the geography of Auckland city and harbour from an airmail’s viewpoint. From Sydney Mr. and Mrs. Blair and Mr. Lee will travel to (Singapore and then to Manila, where Mr. Blair will report the result of his investigations to his principals. At the present stage Hie details of liis mission were confidential, Mr. Blair said. If a service went established, however, amphibian machines would almost certainly be used. Spanish interests at Manila were connecteil with the projiosed enterprise, but he was unable to reveal the identity <if the imllvlditals or concerns on behalf of whom lie was investigating. The proposed service would be quite distinct from that which I’an-Anierican Airways were to operate between San Francisco and Auckland, although it would be in a measure supplementary to it. He added the future of the scheme would depend on the report he made on arrival at Manila.