Airline Route Charges

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1948, Page 6

Airline Route Charges

The Civil Aviation Department has informed Australian National Airways and Ansett Airways that they must pay route charges totalling £96,0.00 today, or face prosecution. Neither company has’ paid route charges since the Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr A. S. Drakeford) announced the introduction of these charges eight months ago. Under the original schedule, Australian National Airlines was assessed at £14,000 a month, and Ansett Airways at. £2OOO. The companies are refusing to pay the charges until they are convinced that they are legal. They claim that the route charges were forced on private operators in order to drive them out of business in favour of the Government-owned Trans-Australia Airlines.—Melbourne, March 102.

Night Workers’ Petrol Persons who have to travel to and from work by private vehicle outside the hours of public transport services are expected to use up to half their private petrol coupon ration for this purpose, otherwise no allowance by special licence will be made. This is the basis on which such applications are being dealt with by the District Oil' Fuel Controller’s office in Christchurch.

Australian Bank Case

If the States were dissatisfied with the banking facilities which the Banking Act, 1947, would provide, they could establish as many of their own banks as they wished, the Federal Attorney-General (Dr H. V. Evatt) told the Full High Court today. It was inaccurate to say that the Act would create a banking monopoly. There would be the Commonwealth Bank, the existing State banks, and as many other banks as were directed by the States. The States claimed immunity from legislation, but immunity applied equally to the Commonwealth.—Melbourne, March 12.

Proposals Rejected The Tasmanian Legislative Council has rejected by 13 votes to. three the Government’s Transport Bill, which aimed to give the Transport Commission power to initiate and acquire road transport services. Members claimed that the Bill constituted the unjustified nationalisation of transport. Today the council will debate a motion to reject all future Government business until an election is held. It is believed that the council will agree to this motion, but it has been stated officially that the Government will continue to forward legislation to the council. The Government’s big test will come in July, when its Supply Bill may be defeated in the council, thus precipitating a general election. At present the Labour Party holds a narrow majority in the Lower House and is heavily outnumbered in the council. —Hobart,-March 12.