INTERNAL AIR LINES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21632, 8 February 1945, Page 4

INTERNAL AIR LINES

Of strong interest at the moment is the suggestion made by Mr. L. Withall, director of the Australian Associated Chambers of Manufacturers, that the Labour Governments of Australia and New Zealand have reached an agreement to nationalise the internal air lines of both countries. If this is true, it would explain the New Zealand Government’s evasive silence on its future internal air policy —a tantalising silence which recently has had a special significance for Gisborne. The Australian Federal Government has been quite open in announcing its plans for taking over the Commonwealth air lines and any reference on its part to New Zealand’s intentions would represent a course of action dictated by the Fraser Government's wishes —always provided that the aforementioned agreement actually exists, in view of Mr. Withall’s suggestion, it is probable, but not certain, that an early statement on the matter will be made from Wellington. In fairness to the people of the Dominion and especially strongly interested organisations this should be done.

The case against the nationalisauon of a country’s airways is practically watertight. It has already been submitted in detail in connection with the Australian developments. On his return to. active duty the Commonwealth Prime Minister,'Mr. J. Curtin, supported his colleagues by quoting the example “of what Canada has done in Government ownership and control of airways.” He also extolled nationalisation as a plain business proposition whereby the control of Australian airways would be kept entirely free from external influences. The fact is, however,-that there are many ways apart from the drastic measure of nationalisation by which the risk of foreign intrusion could be eliminated.

Then again, Canada’s policy is not to nationalise her airways on the allembracing pattern proposed for Australia. Trans-Canada Air Lines is a nationally-owned subsidiary of Canadian National Railways, operating on the coast-to-coast transcontinental system, but its scope docs not nearly approximate the monopoly over internal air routes such as would be established in Australia even it tiie Government. went no further than taking over the interstate services. The real position is that Trans-Canada Air Lines shares the use of Governmentprovided airways facilities with Canadian Pacific Air Lines, the privatelyowned subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railways, and with other private commercial air lines. In any case, it is known that the special Australian inter-departmental committee which reported to the Government in 1943 did not recommend that the Canadian example should be followed. It reported against nationalisation of the airways to any degree whatever.