A SUITABLE BASE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 70, 24 March 1938, Page 10

A SUITABLE BASE

PORT AS TERMINAL

TRANS-TASMAN AIR SERVICE

"In conjunction with the City Council, the board has endeavoured to keep under the notice of the Government the case of Wellington harbour as a suitable base for flying-boats either for the proposed trans-Tasman air service or any other service that may be established," said the chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. D. J. McGowan) at the annual meeting of the board last night.- "The Government has now set up a Commission to investigate this matter, and I am quite confident, from expert opinion that has already been given, and more especially from the experience that has been gained from the recent visit of the Imperial Airways flying-boat Centaurus in charge of Captain J.»W. Burgess, that the claims of Wellington harbour as a main terminal cannot be overlooked." '

"In view of the changes that are taking place in air transport and the possibility of a trans-Tasman air service between Australia and New Zealand, the Wellington Harbour Board, with the Wellington City Council and the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, has taken steps to bring before the proper authorities the advantages the harbour offers for the landing and taking-off of flying-boats," stated the annual report of the Wellington Harbour Board. "The board has, on several occasions, received favourable reports as to the suitability of Wellington harbour as a base for flying-boats, and this view was confirmed in a statement by Mr. Harold Gatty, of the PanAmerican Airways: 'that this harbour offers landing and take-off reaches and sheltered base waters equal to those of almost any other port in the world.' The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, having stated to a deputation from the board, the Cit-y Council, and the Chamber of Commerce, that he considered Wellington to be the logical terminal for a point of distribution of mails and passengers, provided expert opinion of the harbour was favourable, the board felt that Wellington harbour should receive favourable consideration as the landing place in New Zealand for the proposed transTasman air service. It is understood that the Government intends to obtain further expert opinion as to the suitability of the harbour as a flying-boat base.

"On March 30 last, the first PanAmerican Airways Clipper ship, in charge of Captain Musick,. arrived in Auckland from San Francisco, via Honolulu, Kingman Reef, and Pago Pago, and, to mark the occasion, Mr, Harold Gatty, the company's representative, arranged for a good-will visit of this flying-boat to Wellington. The board made available to the company alternative landing places in Wellington harbour, but, on the day of the proposed visit, April 2, 1937, flying conditions generally in the North Island were not favourable to the trip being made, but it is understood that a visit to Wellington will be made on a later occasion."