TASMAN MR SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 23553, 17 April 1940, Page 2

TASMAN MR SERVICE

TO BEGIN WITHIN FORTNIGHT INAUGURATION WITH AUCKLAND-SYDNEY FLIGHT [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 16. The Tasman air service is likely to bo inaugurated either next week or the following week ? and an early official announcement is expected. The dates mentioned tentatively as .being likely to see the service begun are next Monday or Tuesday or the following Monday or Tuesday, April 29 or 30. The first flight will be made from Auckland- to Sydney in the modified Empire flying boat Aotearoa, which is regarded as the Tasman Empire Airways flagship. Captain J. W. Burgess will probably be in command, and it is expected that passengers will be carried as well as mail. Following her delivery flight of over 12,000 miles from England, the Awarua was taken to Hobsonville, shortly after reaching Auckland for. routine cleaning of the null and general inspection. The machine was taken from the water and is now .almost ready for service. The Awarua will probably return to its base at Mechanics - Bay this week to bo moored alongside the Aotearoa. DIRECTORS APPOINTED WELLINGTON, April 10. It was announced to-night by the Minister of Aviation (Mr Jones) that the directors of Tasman Empire Airways Ltd., which company is in the process of formation to operate the Tasman air service, will be as follows: United Kingdom representatives; Mr A. E. Rudder, C.8.E., and Colonel.N. S. Falla, 0.M.G., D.S.O. , 3 ' V Australian representatives: Messrs Fergus M'Master and W. Hudson Fysh, D.F.C. New Zealand representatives: Messrs T. A: .Barrow and C. G.'White. “ The _ operations of the company,” the Minister said, “ will be controlled by a commission on which will be representatives of the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. It is expected that these appointments will be announced in the near future.” AUSTRALIAN VERSION Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright CANBERRA, April 10. (Received April 17, at 8 a.m.) The company formed to operate the transtasman air service has not yet signed the- agreement; consequently it is impossible to announce the date of its inauguration, said the Minister for Air (Mr Fairbairn) to-day.' He added that the Governments of Australia and New Zealand had initialled the agreement, but there were certain legal formalities still to be completed. ' ,