EMPIRE AIR SERVICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 30 September 1944, Page 5

EMPIRE AIR SERVICE

AUSTRALIAN FOUR-POINT PLAN OPERATION BY DOMINIONS AND INDIA Canberra, Sept. 29. Australia was deeply disappointed that the Australia-New Zealand proposal for international control of the air had not received the support anticipated, declared the Commonwealth Minister for Air. Mr Drakeford, in the House of Representatives to-day. Because of lack of support for this broad scheme consideration was now being given to other proposals in the belief that it would be possible at least to secure an agreement between countries of the British Empire. Mr Drakeford announced that the Australian Government had a fourpoint plan for external air services as follows: — (1) The re-establishment on an expanded scale of passenger, mail and freight services between Britain and Australia via the Mediterranean and India or Ceylon. (2) The establishment of a military air transport service across the Pacific as the forerunner of commercial air services to link up with Canadian internal air services and trans-Atlantic air services operating between Canada and Britain. (3) The formulation of definite plans for inter-Commonwealth services during forthcoming Empire talks. (4) The Australian Government will endeavour to assist in reaching an understanding among the great nations so that if, as seems likely, international ownership and operation are impracticable, there would at least be the basis of co-operation in respect of international air transport services. Elaborating the main points of the Australian plan. Mr Drakeford said the military trans-Pacific air service now to be established would pave the way at the appropriate time for a commercial service linking Australia, New Zealand, United Stales and Canada. For more than a year Qantas Airways had operated a restricted service across the Indian Ocean to Ceylon and Karachi linking up with a service from Engsem'ice as soon as practicable. in place of the international air agreement first proposed by Australia and New Zealand, plans were now being made for intra-British Commonwealth services. The objective was to provide an Empire air transport service operated by the British Dominions and India in collaboration.