Launching of First Tasman Air Liners

Northern Advocate, 27 January 1939, Page 5

Launching of First Tasman Air Liners

(Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, January 26

Mr Hudson Fysh, an official of Imperial Airways, said that while the first of the new 24-ton flying-boats destined for the Tasman service are to be launched at Rochester, and an additional two will be launched within a montn, it did not necessarily mean “we will be able to fly them to Australia and begin the Tasman service immediately.”

‘The date of the opening of the service depends on the provision of adequate bases and the requisite radio services and navigational aids. “Also, agreement is necessary as to which company will operate the new service.** : | Extension of Auckland Route. He added that the Pacific was becoming increasingly important, both from a civil and military point of view. England and America were fully alive to the possibilities of co-opera-tion and, according to reports from the United States, there would be further aviation activities shortly in many North and South Pacific Islands. “We are surveying the possibilities of an extension of the LondonAuckland route to Fiji, and ultimately to San Francisco, joining the transCanadian service and completing the British air lines across the world. This would afford Australia and New Zealand alternative routes to London.”