Progress Being Made

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 July 1935, Page 3

Progress Being Made

REFERENCE IN COMMONS ' LONDON, July 11. The Secretary of State for Air (Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister), speaking m the House of Commons to-day, said that ho was not in a position to make a statement beyond the fact that considerable progress was being made with the Dominions. One of the reasons for reticence was the fact that the Air Ministry, the Post Office, the Treasury, and the Dominions Office were all concerned in the scheme. The Dominions Office spokesman pointed out that the fact Of Australia and New Zealand taking sole control of the Tasman route did not imply that they would not co-operate in the larger Imperial scheme, which so far had been mapped out only as far as Sydney. Other quarters, however, which had previously regarded the Tasman route as an integral part of an Empire scheme, interpret the Australian and New Zealand attitude as one of impatience at the slowness of progress towards a general Imperial agreement. It is understood that Captain E. C. Johnston (Australian Controller of Civil Aviation), whose London mission includes the discussing of technical details regarding the Tasman service, disagrees with the British viewpoint that the Tasman route is one exclusively for flying boats. It is believed that he prefers development with the most suitable aircraft available, whether British or American, rather than awaiting the large high-speed flying boats which Short Brothers are now building for Imperial Airways, Not Win Anti-Empire Gesture "SMITHY'S" OPINION ON TYPE OP AIRCRAFT SYDNEY, July 12. Kingsford Smith, commenting on th

London cables, said: "It would be very, wrong to take as an anti-Empiro gesture my recommendation for American aircraft for a traus-Tasman service. "Through no fault on Britain's part, the Americans have produced a type of aircraft eminently suitable for operation within and between the Dominions, and it is obvious that botli Australia and New Zealand will become far more valuable units of tha Empire when they are connected by an efficient and regular air-mail and pas* senger service."

Concern at Home WILL AMERICANS BE FIRST INFIELD? Received.'Friday, 10 p.m. LONDON, July 12. Captain E. C. Johnston (Australian Controller of Civil Aviation) said the Americans were confident that they would establish a trans-Atlantic service before Imperial Airways. The Americans were secretive concerning their machines, but claimed that they had suitable planes to operate via Bermuda and the Azores, also on a northerly route, without awaiting the construction of flying-boats in England, for which Sikorsky and Bellanca are forming British companies, situated at Belfast and Liverpool.