AN EARLY START

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 60, 12 March 1937, Page 10

AN EARLY START

MR. GATTY'S COMMENT

COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING

I "Naturally I am extremely pleased that the negotiations are completed and have been settled in a manner satisfactory to the company' and to the New Zealand Government," said Mr. Harold Gatty last night. "The establishment of what will become one of the world's main air routes raises questions of far-reaching importance," and though, the discussions have extended over a much longer period than could have been anticipated by either your Government or the company, yet the delay will have been well worth while if it has removed what might otherwise have become points of difference after the service had been started. The attitude-of the New Zealand Govern- j ment has been consistently directed towards arriving at such a complete understanding.

"The position now is that a'survey flight can be made at an early date from San Francisco to Auckland, calling at Honolulu, Kingman Reef, and Pago Pago, to be followed by further exploratory flights, with the object of determining whether the route and point of call facilities are suitable for a regular service. That, of course, is Die reason for exploratory flights, for no matter how completely and carefully plans may be laid, the final proof

I must lie always in the actual experiI ence of survey flights. j LONG RANGE MACHINE. ''The machine which will make the flight to Auckland," said Mr. Gatty, "will be fitted with additional fuel tanks to give a great margin of range, and during the whole period of exploratory flying no passengers will be carried, nor would the company be allow- | ed to carry passengers, under the rules J of the Department of Commerce. j "Just when this first ship will take oft' from the Alameda base at San Francisco will depend largely upon the date at which facilities at Auckland are ready. These preparations involve the clearance from Customs of equipment brought to New Zealand in December last and the provision of radio facilities, without which no flight is possible, for there is absolute insistence upon the maintenance of continuous radio communication from the moment the aeroplane leaves the water until it reaches the next base. Without radio communication also the meteorological network cannot function. Radio communication and weather knowledge are inseparable from any sound policy of air transportation, , particularly over ocean distances. WILL MEAN MUCH TO NEW ZEALAND. "1 believe very genuinely that this j service will bring great benefits to New Zealand, probably greater than will be realised for ' some time to come," continued Mr. Gatty. "'The arrival of the first aeroplane- will pro- '• vide a spectacular sight, but there is - much more than a spectacle in such f a service. It will bring about closer - contact between the peoples of New t Zealand, the United States, and 2 Canada, and. through the Tasman ser- :, vice, Australia also, and will do much j to end the isolation from which New 3 Zealand unquestionably has suffered, . by giving this country a place upon t: a great air route of future, years. Per- , haps that may sound idealistic, but - happily there are some idealists who ) refuse to look merely at the facts of , tfi'e moment and insist upon looking • ahead. "It will mean the bringing of a t much greater volume of tourist and ' business traffic, and will certainly give • a wonderful fillip..to internal air lines in New Zealand, for travellers who arrive by air will want to'continue by i the same means of transportation. It will certainly'contribute substantially to the success of the Tasman service when that is established." ASSISTANCE APPRECIATED. , Apart altogether from the negotiations, continued Mr. Gatty, be and the other company > officers had received ', the most willing and valuable assistance and advice from all departmental officers and from the chairman, Mr. C. G. Macindoe, executive officers, and staff of the.Auckland. Harbour Board." : "I particularly wish to express my thanks to Mr. G. McNamara, DirectorGeneral .of the Post and . Telegraph Department, Dr. E. Marsden, of the : Department of Scientific and Industrial ! Research, Dr. E. Kidson. of the |; Meteorological Office, Wing-Corn-1 • mander Wilkes, Director of Air Ser- ' vices, Mr. J. -Laurenson, Acting Com- i missioner of the Transport Depart- ' ment, and those others whose assist- j ance and keen interest have made it 1 possible, to consider, the making of' a \ survey flight at once. . ■ . ■ i ADVANCED METEOROLOGICAL ] WORK. j "The Department of Scientific and 1 Industrial Research has plainly pat- , terned its work with the idea of being , in a position to supply reliable weather t 'data for air transportation from over- r seas—as well as for internal air lines— t when such services should be estab- . lished, and consequently we found as j a pleasant surprise' that much, of the organisation towards this end had , already been put under way. As meteorological advices are such a. vital part in the operating of- flying-boat I services and the company also gathers data from an immense area, there is . plainly room, with the spirit of cooperation' shown,, for mutual benefits between the New Zealand . meteorological service and the company's service.

"It is hoped that it will be possible to bring the first survey, ship on to "Wellington for a brief visit," concluded Mr. Gatty, "but I am not able to make a definite statement about that at the moment, nor- as to the date when the first flight will take place, beyond that it will be very soon." .