French Africa Favours Motor and Air Lines

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6625, 11 August 1931, Page 7

French Africa Favours Motor and Air Lines

COLONIAL GOVERNORS IGNORE TRANS-SAHARAN RAILWAY '

ALGIERS, July 20,

The keynote of the seventh North African Conference which ended its three-day sitting at Tunis recently was the development of a trans-Saharan link between tho French possessions in Africa. Tho subject of the transSaharan ’railway was not discussed, but trans-Saharan motor and aerial transport are to bo increasingly encouraged it was decided. As a result of the conference a regular service of motor transport for travellers from Algeria to the Niger will be inaugurated. . Tho service will run weekly from October to the end of May, and fortnightly during the four summer months. The conference, among other actions, made the following decisions. Saharan posts on the motor routes to be furnished with wireless apparatus. Trans-Saharan motor routes to be completely equipped for use fcy public transportation services as well as ordinary cars; and additional repair and fueling depots to bo provided. Algeria to build and equip a caravanserai between Flatters and Fort

Saint. A now touring map of French Africa to be made by the military mapping service. , , . , Aerial day beacons, to bo placed along the Saharan aerial routes. A special aerial navigation and a meteorological service to be established. . . .. „ A passenger airplaue service for the coining winter season to be inaugurated between Colomb-Bcchar, Kcggan, Gao, Niamey, Tamanrassct, In-balah, El-Golea and Algiers. Short-wave wireless stations to do established at Colomb-Mcchar, Ouargla and Aoulcf. , . +n All aircraft crossing the Sahara to be required to carry wireless. A new wireless station to be erected near Tunis. A Saharan fair to bo held at lamanrasset during March and Apri,

1932, . The French Air Ministry to be recommended to provide multi-motored aircraft for the western Mediterranean basin specially equipped for dealing with aerial breakdowss. The French Government to bo invited to contribute one-third of the. cost of establishing and operating a regular air service between Casablanca, Algiers and Tunis, provided French North Africa contributes the remaining two-thirds of tho cost. France to be asked to allow a preferential tariff for North African lead and zinc. One million iraucs to be allotted for tourist propaganda. Dock silos to be erected in North Africa so that grain will not have to be exported immediately to France. France to bo asked to establish progressively a customs union between Tunisia, Algeria and France. Among other matters dealt with, it was decided that a strict censorship of gramophone records and talking films should be enforced in order to avoid offending native religious susceptibilities. The resolutions adopted indicate the broad lines of policy envisaged but the executive word in such ma ters rests with Paris.