French Plane Arrives In N.Z.

Northern Advocate, 5 January 1948, Page 2

French Plane Arrives In N.Z.

AUCKLAND, Mon. (Sp.).—A French commercial aircraft—the first to come to New Zealand —landed at Whenuapai from New Caledonia on Saturday.

1 Owngd by the Societe Francaise de Transports Ariens du Pacifique, the plane, a Catalina amphibian, brought to New Zealand members of the former N.Z.-motor vessel Rosalie. The ship has been purchased by a French firm for trade in the islands. The pilot, Captain Delaunay, said the service was formed to maintain ■ swift communication between French possessions in the Pacific. There were few ships making regular calls at the islands, and France had few merchant ships to spare for the South Pacific trade. The result was that passengers and mail were taking a considerable period to go from the more remote French possessions to New Caledonia or France. ' The company operated a weekly | service between the New Hebrides and Noumea. LINK WITH N.Z.? I A regular flight was made to Tahiti j each month, the aircraft making four stops on the 2600-mile journey. The company also made charter I flights for the French Government to ! the Wallace Islands.

M. Jacques Dewez, co-pilot and son of the president of the company, said a representative of the company would •make a visit to the Dominion shortly ;to connect with the National Airways ' the possibility of starting a regular i service between New Caledonia and [Norfolk Island. j The timetable would be arranged Ito discuss with the National Airways Corporation’s service to the latter island, so that people from New Caledonia would be able to make speedy visits to New Zealand.

Captain Delaunay served with the Free French Forces as a fighter pilot in the United Kingdom early in the war, and later joined the French Fleet An Arm, which operated with the United States Naval Forces.