BENEATH THE WINDSOCK

Evening Star, Issue 22618, 9 April 1937, Page 2

BENEATH THE WINDSOCK

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CONTROL OF AVIATION. The time has long passed when if is reasonable to reckon military avia* tion as a subordinate part of the general defence scheme, to show this in the method of estimating for ex* penditure and to emphasise, it bymaking the _ director of military (andl civil) aviation subordinate to the military command (comments tha Christchurch ‘Press’). The MSnaster’s creation of an Air Board is de* signed to liberate military aviation! from this dependence, as is probably; meant by the statement that “ tha Royal New Zealand Air Force has been separated from the:- Defenca Department.” The separation, it.wilf be understood, is one of administra* tion; strategic organisation should be* come * more . complete through tha change, not less. ' It may also be assumed that tha Air Board will be called on to ,d« what the Government has been widely) urged to facilitate by the establish* ment of an Air Ministry—namely, co* ordinate the work of the many de* partments which in one way or an* other touch aviation. But at this point it is impossible to understand! or assume further advantages, and; doubts begin to assert themselves. Th» Minister’s scant references to civil aviation, a few weeks ago, are ful* filled in the nature of the appoint* ments now announced. The chief staff officer (equipment), Wing-commander T. M. Wilkes, is also Controller of Civil Aviation; and his chief assistant is also an officer of the air headquar* tors staff. Unquestionably there ia plenty of room for co-operation between the civil and military wings of aviation; _ but it does not appear that co-operation is sought or served sor much as the control of civil aviation; by the Air Force, . It is true that the Minister has promised to represent the interests of civil aviation on the board j- but it re* mains to be seen how that representa* tion is given and what the extent of its influence will be. In the meantime, in executive places, it does nob appear at all in its own right, and; considerable uneasiness is hound to ba felt. The English precedent of al separate authority for civil aviation has been wholly ignored. In what way; the Minister intends to avoid the ham of subordinating the needs of civil aviation to military ones: is quite obscure; it is possible; even, that he neither sees the implications of his acts, so for, nor recognises -the dsn* ger. But both are sufficiently evident to warrant a prompt and - strong ap* peal to him for an explanation. DEVELOPING PACIFIC TRADE. “The trail-blazing flight of the Pan-American Clipper into the Squthl Pacific,” said- Mr William P. Roth,] president of the Matson Navigation Company, in an interview, “ marks, ai new epoch in Pacific trade and trails* ' portion. UThis exploratory survey in association Cpith the Matson Naviga* tion: Company might be called a second' chapter in the saga of South! Pacific’s modern development. This; pioneering ; _ starts under most auspicious Circumstances. Pan-Ameri* can Airways in its South America and l transpacific service has not only) achieved a pioneering record with ut* most smoothness and absence of sensa* tionalism, but has instilled in the pub* lie a prompt and . hearty confidence itf all its undertakings. “This first chapter in the dramatic history of ; South Pacific trsnsporta* tion,” continued Mr Roth, "was started many- years ago by -the first! transpacific Matson Line ships and clil* xninated by the introduction of ex* press liners, the Mariposa' andth«( Monterey. ' ” “ Our faith in the wide expansion of South Pacific travel,” Mr Roth de* dared, “ gratifyingly justified with in* creased trade, has improved interna* tional relations and‘better' understand* ing between peoples of three nations* All this laid foundations; for moral spectacular trade and transportation,' developments of to-day and to-morrows to be fully realised when the new air service was establishecl. The current! flight of the pioneering pan-American. Clipper is a continuation of the logical brilliant international trade and tourist development of the Dominion of New Zealand . and the United Staten of America.” • " PAN-AMERICAN FARES. -Pan-American Airways, has 'in* nounced the schedule of passenger fares on the transpacific air service* The fares from San Francisco are aq follow:—To Honolulu :360d01, to' Mid* way 445d01, to Wake .587d01. to Guarat 704d01, and to Manila 799d0L These! include ground transport at all sta* tions except San Francisco, all meals* the sleeping berth between San Fran* cisco and Honolulu, and hotel accom* modation at Midway, ‘ Wake, and! Guam. A regular service was inaugurated on November 21 with I 13 passengers out of /the 1,000 applicants. - . > •